Walter Breen
Equivalents: Hays 27. McGirk 3F. Ross 17-S. Chapman 12. Sheldon 33. EAC 18.
Encyclopedia 1661.
Rarity 6.
Remarks: This was known as the "Hays variety" ever since Hays identified it as a new reverse in 1888. John W. Adams says Hays got it from the J. E. Burton collection in 1881: see Condition Census. Hays discovered the first three specimens known.
This reverse resembles reverse Q of number 28.
This and the following varieties through 28 are believed to be from the group delivered March 28.
Condition Census:
VF-25 Discovered in 1950 in an old Los Angeles collection by Harold Straight, 1950 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 1/1993 • Tom Morley, 10/1993 • Dr. Robert A. Schuman, 4/1/1998 • Walter Husak. Reverse illustrated in Penny Whimsy. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.
VF-20 Sharpness of VF-35 but covered with handling marks. Elmer S. Sears, 6/1926 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State V.
F-15 W. B. Guy • Henry Chapman 11/1911: 397 $31 • Dr. GeorgeP. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 50 $300 • T. James Clarke, 1944 • B. Max Mehl, 1944 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 1950 • Harold Straight • Charles N. Peters (Alameda Coin Shop) • Dr. Charles L. Ruby, 12/1972 • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. • Superior Gal-leries 2/1974: 361 $3,700 • Del Bland, 3/25/1984 • George E. Ewing, Jr. • Jeffrey Oliphant. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Morley.
F-12 Sharpness of VF-20 but obverse is porous and with a black foreign substance on reverse. John E. Burton • W. Elliot Woodward #42, 10/1881: 137 $3.25 • W. W. Hays, 1900 • Chas. Steigerwalt, 1906 • Charles G. Zug • Lyman H. Low 3/1907: 27 $5 • Gen. C. L. Wellington • Lyman H. Low #170, 1/1913: 111 $36 • Robert D. Book, 5/ 1930 • George H. Clapp • ANS. Reverse illustrated in Frossard-Hays, in Early American Cents, in Morley, and in Noyes.
VG-10 Sharpness of VF-35 but obverse heavily burnished, with a deep depression over the head where old cuts are still visible. E. Gilbert • Thomas L. Elder #44, 10/1910: 27 $67 • H. O. Granberg. William H. Woodin. The United States Coin Co. 5/1915: 110 $57.50 • Amos Van Buskirk • Henry Chapman 3/1917: 493 $15 • Howard R. Newcomb
• J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 44 $85 • Milton A. Holmes • Stack's 10/1960: 1369 $750 • Frank H. Masters, Jr. • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1971: 60 $1,400 • John W. Adams • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries FPL,1982: 26 $6,000 • Denis W. Loring, 5/7/1983 • Jack H. Robinson, 1/23/1988 • John R. Frankenfield. Reverse illustrated in Elder-Gilbert. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Chapman.
VG-8 Sharpness of VF-25 but burnished. J. P. Hale Jenkins • Henry Chapman 7/1922: 1522 $37 • George H. Clapp. ANS.
VG-7 Sharpness of F-12 but a few edge dents, finely po-rous, and slightly bent. Walter Breen • Kenneth W. Rendell,4/1959 • C. Douglas Smith, 1965 • Alfred Bonard • French's, privately 5/1967 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 3/1971 • Denis W. Loring, 12/1977 • Charles Gifford, 8/1979 • Richard V. Punchard.
VG-7 Wm. E. Delude, Sr. FPL, 9/1976 • Richard H. Wright, 3/5/1977. John D. Wright.
VG-7 Sharpness of F-15 but obverse rough. French's, privately 10/1961 • John A. Schreuder, 4/1970 • Del Bland • Dr. Edward R. Bush, 12/1977. Denis W. Loring, 11/ 1982 Jackson C. Storm, 8/1/1984 • Robert E.Matthews • Superior Galleries 5/1989: 164 $6,050 • Joel Spingarn • Butler "Bim" Gander.
VG-7 Sharpness of VF-30 but scraped and burnished. Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 49 $85 • Dr. Charles L. Ruby, 12/1972 • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. • Superior Galleries 2/1975: 32 $1,275 • William R. T. Smith • Roger S. Cohen, Jr. • Superior Galleries 2/1992: 679 $3,300 • David L. Palmer. Reverse illustrated in Morley.
G-6 Purchased on 3/1/1985 as a type coin from James E. King (American Coin Co.) by Christopher B. Young. James Young, Jr.
G-6 From a date set purchased by Michael Graham and sold unattributed on 8/23/1985 to Douglas F. Bird • Gary Ruttenberg • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr.
G-6 Purchased unattributed in 6/1974 at a Milwaukee coin show by Chuck. Furjanic • Jerry A. Bobbe • Gordon J. Wrubel, 10/18/1974 • Philip Van Cleave • Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #340, 1/1986: 5037 $3,575 • Wes A. Rasmussen.