This preview for the Stack's Bowers Galleries January New York International Auction is a fantastic rarity from our neighbor to the north, Canada. The coin featured here is a quintessentialCanadian rarity, colloquially known as the "King of Canadian Coins." The 1921 50 Cents issue had an initial mintage of 206,398 pieces, although according to Charlton, contemporary demand was notgreat for the 50 Cent denomination. Approximately 28,000 pieces were issued from 1921 to 1929. Most experts believe those issued were dated 1920.

When demand for the denomination resurfaced at the turn of the 1930s, John Honeyford Campbell - the mintmaster - decided to melt the 1920 and 1921 issues and then re-coin the silver with the 1929date. Campbell worried that if the 1920 and 1921 issues were dispersed in 1929 the general populace would suspect they were counterfeits due to the large quantity and old dates. It is believed thatapproximately 75 pieces dated 1921 survived the melting pot. Some survived through the sale of Specimen sets (like the present example) with some circulation strikes sold to visitors to the mint aswell.

The design features the stern visage of King George V, with legend around. The reverse features a four line inscription: "50 / CENTS / CANADA / 1921", all surrounded by a wreath, with a crown attop. Beautiful dusty rose toning accents the surfaces and design alike, with brilliant iridescent highlights and excellent eye appeal. This example is housed in an older generation green label PCGSholder. It is the sole example at this designation, with just three examples certified finer (all at PCGS: two examples at SP-64 and one example at SP-65).