Owner Comments:
The 44-S, in general, is rare to find fully struck up in ANY grade. Circulated and mint state coins with typical strikes are relatively common. The 1944-S, 1941-S and 1942-S are the three toughest dates, IMHO, to find in the short set with a solid strike. Strike is the determining factor, as luster is usually frosty with plenty of eye appeal and abrasions are not a generally a major concern. Examples almost always have dramatic weakness in the central obverse and reverse. Liberty’s hand and thumb are smooth and the eagle’s leg and breast feathers are normally very weak. Liberty’s head detail is, sometimes, better than the rest of the coin, but it can also be weak, as well.
Paying a premium for AU through MS63 well struck 1944-S coins is not unheard of. MS60-62 pieces tend to be rather unattractive due to a combination of surface abrasions and a poor strike. Investment potential is WELL above average for MS65 and higher graded pieces, especially those that are nicely struck up and with good luster.
Important varieties:
V 102 – Die break between second “U” and “N” in UNUM.
V 103 – Doubled S east.
V 104 – Shifted date south.
V 105 – Vertical bar of last 4 heavy with base spread out.
V 106 – Trumpet Tailed S.
The present coin is CAC verified for PQ eye appeal and PCGS Secure slabbed. It has a great strike with good separation of thumb and branch stem lines. Head and skirt lines are full and so is the eagles breast and trailing leg on the reverse. Nearly mark free with pristine fields and luster is blazing. It is a pure white, snowflake, premium gem.
The coin is ranked 8th out of 20 in the short set and 53rd out of 65 for the entire set, in Mint State rarity. There are about 11,000-12, 000 total MS survivors in all MS grades from the two major services.
PCGS pop is 623/8 in 66 with 64 of 623 being 66+ coins.
NGC Census 252/7 in 66 with 25 being 66 + coins.
CAC green pop in MS 66 is 181/133
This World War II San Francisco coin had a mintage of 8,904,000 pieces, which is the lowest for that year.