Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

MS-61 Heritage Numismatic Auctions #2, 3/1989: 14 $3,190 • Heritage Rare Coin Galleries • Heritage Numismatic Auctions #4, 10/1989: 31 $3.50 • Del Bland, 10/1989 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries.10/1991: 86 $5,500 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 107 $8,250 • Chris Kromer.

M5-61 Col. E. H. R. Green. B. G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.), 5/29/1942 $60 • Thomas L. Elder, 8/4/1943 $85 • Leonard M. Holland • Pennypacker Auc-tion Centre, 5/1959 $400. Dorothy Paschal.

MS-61 Ed. Frossard Collection • Ed. Frossard #37, 101 1884: 837 $7 • consignor with initial "M" • S. H. Chapman • S. H. Chapman 6/1913: 472 $43 • Henry C. Hines. Homer K. Downing • 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. #38): 1709 $100 • Elliot Landau • New Netherlands Coin Co. #52, 12/1958: 111$140 • Stack's.

MS-61 Henry C. Miller • Thomas L. Elder 4/1917: 713 $53. Thick Planchet.

MS-60 With some planchet roughness. Jay Parrino (The Mint) • Superior Auction Galleries 1/1994: 790 • Jay Parrino (The Mint) • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 5/1995: 2024 $7,700 • Jay Parrino (The Mint, LLC) • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 1034 $6,600 • Douglas F. Bird • Thomas D. Reynolds.

MS-60 H. E. Jones (Edinburgh, Scotland) • Scott & Co. 10/1878: 213 $18 • Edward Cogan • Peter Mougey • William H. Woodin • Thomas L. Elder #43, 9/1910: 16 $27 • Howard R. Newcomb • J. c. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 78 $55 • James A. Stack, Sr. • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries 4/1979: 129 $4,600 • Joel Perlin (H. S. Perlin Co.)
MS-60 With some 'Weak striking. New England Rare Coin Auctions 7/1976: 413 $825 • Gary Sturtridge (The House of Stuart, Ltd.) • unknown • Vintage Auctions 2/1989: 148 $2,850 • Julian Leidman • Superior Galleries2/1991: 675 not sold - Julian Leidman • Joe Dooley • M & G Auctions 1/1997: 208 $4,620 • Stuart "Mac" Macdonald Heritage Numismatic Auctions 9/1997: 5085 $5,060 • Thomas D. Reynolds.

MS-60 With some 'Weak striking. S. H. Chapman • S. H. Chapman 6/1913: 473 $8 • Howard R. Newcomb, 8/1944 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State VII.

MS-60 Lester Merkin 9/1974: 274 $1.00 •. Mulford B. Simons, Jr. (Penn Valley Coin Shoppe) • unknown • Superior Galleries 5/1990: 3381 $7,975.

MS-60 S. H. & H. Chapman • John G. Mills • S. H. & H. Chapman 4/1904: 1248 $20 • S. H. & H. Chapman • David S. Wilson • S. H. Chapman 3/1907: 887 $20 • George Roebling • New Netherlands Coin Co. #59, 6/1967: 1201 $625 • ''FG'' • Paramount International Coin Corp. FPL #6; 11/1973 to #8, 8/1974 $3,750 • Paramount International Coin Corp. 11/1974: 68 $200 • Paramount International Coin Corp. FPL #10, 6-7/1975 $3,750 to #13, Spring 1976 $3,250 • Paramount International Coin Corp. 7/1976: 367 $1,900 • Paramount International Coin Corp. FPL #14, 11/1976 to #18, 3-4/1978 $2,750 • unknown • Bowers and Merena 611986: 2164 $4,620.

MS-60 Charles Jay • Stack's 10/1967: 92 $1,300 • unknown • Ed Milas (Gold Stella Coin Co.) • Jerry A. Bobbe.

Probably other Mint State examples exist.

Obverse 4. Date closely spaced with 79 closer than 17 or 95. Top of 1 almost touches the hair, top of 5 overlaps the bust, and uprights of 1 and 7 are about parallel. Serif of 7 is about in line with the left edge of the shoulder loop. Junction of the forelock and brow are right of the upright of T. Unlike the similar obverse 6, RTY are apart. Both survivors are worn, and some details are too obscured by traces of undertype for a more detailed description.

Reverse C.

Edge: None of its own. Surviving specimens should show at least traces of the edge inscription of the Talbot, Allum & Lee token undertype, 1794 Fuld 2, reading PAY-ABLE AT THE STORE OF. The discovery piece is described as showing no edge device. (Penny-Wise, no. 13,7/15/1969, p.126.) The few plain-edge strikings of Talbot, Allum & Lee tokens were made for sale to collectors at a premium.

Die states: Reverse is in the early state.

Equivalents: EAC 5. Included in Encyclopedia 1674. Rarity 8. Two known.

Remarks: I discovered this variety in a date set consigned to Lester Merkin, November 1968. Evidently it was struck before most of number 4b, probably on December 28, 1795, the obverse failing quickly, and obverse 3 being brought back to press.(Penny-Wise, no. 13,7/15/1969, p.126; no.41,3/15/1974, pp. 91-92.)

The peculiar spacing of the date recurs in obverse 6 of number 9; these two obverse dies were probably made the same day.

That these pieces were struck on Talbot, Allum & Lee tokens suggests they were either freaks or set-up trial pieces, not part of a press run intended for circulation. Some of these tokens were coined at 46 to the pound (152.17 grains = 9.86 grams), others also to the pound (140 grains = 9.07 grams); even the heavier ones were far too light to make do for the legal standard, despite their circulating in quantity as cents. The token doubtless came from the approximately 52,000 bought by the Mint from the issuing firm in April 1795. Most likely, any later discovered specimens of number 5 will have plain edges.

Condition Census:

AG-3 Discovered by Walter Breenin a date set purchased in 11/1968 by Lester Merkin and consigned to Lester Merkin 3/1969: 649 $1,050 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 8/13/1992 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 108 $9,350 • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Overstruck on a 1794 Talbot, Allum and Lee token. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

FR-2 Purchased unattributed from a dealer for his son's type set by Timothy Burch, later attributed by and sold in 4/1993 to John D. Wright. 29.0 millimeters 134.5 grains. Overstruck on a 1794 Talbot, Allum and Lee token. with New York. (Penny-Wise, no. 158, 9/15/1993, pp. 322-329. Article provides details of discovery of this specimen.)

No other examples are known.