Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 25. Cracks are now heavier.

Reverse DD. Similar asymmetrical wreath to reverses BB and CC, complete with two disconnected knots. The right ribbon leans far to the left, pointing to the final zero, and nearly touching the right end of the fraction bar. A detached pointed fragment of this ribbon slants slightly down to the right, almost at a right angle. The denominator and fraction bar both slope up to the right. Ribbon bows are incomplete near the upper knot. Single leaf above ON, with microscopic traces of what may be another above it. Double leaf at OF (normally triple). Six berries left and seven right, tiny and mostly stemless, including two on the outer edge of the leaf below ST. Bottom right leaves point to two feet of final A. Legend is amateurishly spaced: u is low, leaning to the right and almost touching N, I(T) leans left, E D are far apart and lean right, TA are joined at their bases, and AM are far apart. In ONE CENT, all letters ascend to the right. The N of ONE was first "inverted" (rotated 180°) then corrected, the extra serif plain at the lower right.

Die states: 1. The two obverse cracks meet in the field left of the hair. Repunching on A(T) is clear. II. Heavy clash marks on both sides.

III. Reverse is reground with both the clash marks and the repunching on A gone.
Equivalents: Maris 8. Frossard 5.2. Doughty 28. Hays 12.McGirk 10A. Ross 8-F. Chapman 45. Sheldon 56. EAC 46. Encyclopedia 1664.

High Rarity 2.

Remarks: Sheldon called this wretchedly crude die the "Office Boy Reverse." The term equally applies to reverse dies AA, BB and CC.

Planchets often show numerous minute defects. Usually very unevenly struck, especially on the lower left reverse. UNIT are often illegible.

Probably over 20,000 of those delivered July 8-9. One has been seen with the edge blundered ONE HUNDRED A DOLLAR. "Charles J. Dupont," lot 80a, has the edge lettered ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR. The March 1976 Pine Tree auction had an example (lot 2432) 15% off-center at K-2. See "Oops!" chapter.

Condition Census:

MS-60 With light planchet roughness on the upper obverse and lower reverse. R. A. Britton • H. G. Sampson 2/ 1882: 767 $11 • Ed. Frossard Collection • Ed. Frossard #37, 10/1884: 860 • T. Harrison Garrett • Robert Garrett, 1919 • John Work Garrett • Johns Hopkins University • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries 11/1979: 70 $16,000 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner • Anthony Terranova. Dr. Thomas Turissini. Obverse and revers illustrated in Noyes.

AU-55 Wm. Fewsmith • Mason & Co. 10/1870: 797 $4 • "Ramsey" • John W. Haseltine, 1881 • Joseph Hooper • Ed. Frossard #113, 10/1892: 333 $9 • Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 28 $75 • Willard C. Blaisdell, 1975 • John W. Adams • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries FPL, 1982: 51 $7,000 • Del Bland, 6/28/1985 • Dr. Allen Bennett, 1/20/1998 • Walter Husak. State II. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Chapman. Reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

AU-50 With tiny planchet defects through the legend. Bowers and Merena 9/1996: 25 $2,970 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington.

EF-45 Brought from England where the coin had resided in his family since the early 1800s and sold by Charles Bunce on 9/14/1983 to Marc M. Calciano.

EF-45 Sharpness of AU-55 but edge dents and a nick. From England. Sam Clements (Gothic Coins), 11/21/1986 • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Robert E. Matthews Superior Galleries 5/1989: 189 $4,180 • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr.

EF-40 Sharpness of AU-55 but an obverse edge dent and glossy from excessive brushing. Henry C. Miller • Thomas L. Elder 4/1917: 664 $65 • Dr. George P. French, 3/21/ 1929. B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 33 $120 • T. James Clarke, 1944 .B. Max Mehl • B. Max Mehl #106, 6/1945: 1642 $105. B. Max Mehl • B. Max Mehl #112, 4/1949: 2304 $82.50 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Del Bland, 11/1982 • George E. Ewing, Jr. • Early American Coppers 4/1994: 177$2,600 • James H. Coudge David Chermesino.

EF-40 With a line-like planchet defect on obverse. Charles E .. Clapp, Sr., 3/1921 • George H. Clapp; 3/31/1949 • Carnegie Institute.

EF-40 E. Gilbert • Thomas L. Elder #44, 10/1910: 12 $12.50 • unknown. Robert D. Book, 5/1930 • George H. Clapp • ANS. Reverse illustrated in Elder-Gilbert. EF-40 Delaware Valley Rare Coin Co., 3/1998 • Denis W. Loring, 3/1998 • John B. MacDonald.