Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 8. Wide date, almost straight with all the digits leaning right. Peak of 1 points well below the notch of lowest curl. On the lower part of the outer right curve of 9 is a tiny spine pointing to 6. L is high, bases of ER almost touch, and R T are far apart. A thin line from the right base of the upright of R slants up through the loop of the same letter.

Reverse H.

Die states: 1. Perfect obverse die. Reverse was struck before regrinding and has no clash marks. Most examples are this die state.

II. Obverse rim break involving tops of y and extending 8 millimeters to the right, with a notch in its lower edge a little right of y. Reverse drastically reground, as in number 12, state V. (Harry Salyards, in a May 14, 1995 note to the editor, suggests that solid evidence of the reverse being drastically reground may not exist, due to the low condition of survivors.)

Equivalents: Gilbert 17. McGirk 12D. Clapp-Newcomb 17. Sheldon 107. EAC 13. Encyclopedia 1684.

High Rarity 5. Remarks: Discovered by Ebenezer Gilbert, about 1909.

The discovery piece has the rim break. The Gilbert monograph misleadingly described this break as extending along the milling to R.

Worn specimens of number 12 or 14 with blurry borders might conceivably be mistaken for this rarity. On each of these obverses the spacing of BERT is distinctive: on 12, BERT are closely spaced and lean right with Thigh; on 13, bases of ER almost touch, B E are less close, R T are apart and all are about level; on 14, B E are far apart and lean right, base of E is below R and nearly touches R, and R T are well apart.

Condition Census:

VF-20 Robert D. Book, 5/1930 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State I. Obverse illustrated in Clapp-Newcomb. Reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and also illustrated in Penny Whimsy as 1795 Reverse F and in Noyes.

F-15 Sharpness of AU-55 but porous and a reverse edge cut. Dr. Charles E. McGirk • Walter F. Webb, 1937 • Carl Wurtzbach • Henry C. Hines • Homer K. Downing • 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. #38): 1745 $82.50 • C. Douglas Smith, 1970 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 141 $2,860 • Pete Smith. Obverse illustrated in Early American Cents.

F-12 With some weak striking. David Proskey • Henry C.Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner.

F-12 Sharpness of VF-20 but finely rough. E. Gilbert • Henry C. Miller. Thomas L. Elder 4/1917: 738 $20.25 • Henry C. Hines. Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 12/1993 • John Whitney. Obverse illustrated in Early American Cents, in Penny Whimsy, and in Noyes. The discovery coin with the obverse rim break.

VG-8 Sharpness of EF-40 but corroded. Purchased unattributed in 2/1972 from Nassau Coins by Jeffrey Oliphant.

VG-8 Purchased unattributed in 2/1982 in a group of coins from Miracle Mile Coin Center by Vernon W. Lowe (Lowe's Numismatic Galleries) • Del Bland • Jack H. Beymer • Jack H. Robinson • Superior Galleries 1/1989: 194 $2,860 • Dennis Mendelson • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. State I.

VG-7 Christian M. Petersen • Hollinbeck Coin Co. • Hollinbeck Coin Co. #214, 10/1957: 218 $275. Hollinbeck Coin Co. • Leonard W. Stark (Central Coin Mart) • Frank H. Masters, Jr. • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1971: 97 $350 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Myles Z. Gerson • Dr. Philip W. Ralls, 5/2/1997 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington.

VG-7 George Ramont, 3/21/1972 • an unidentified eastern collector.

VG-7 Purchased unattributed by John D. Wright. Dr. Thomas S. Chalkley • Superior Galleries 1/1990: 278 $2,200 • John R. Frankenfield.

VG-7 Eugene Exman • Dorothy Paschal.

VG-7 Dr. Kenneth J. Sartoris, 5/1972 • Del Bland. Denis W. Loring, 5/1974 • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • William R. T. Smith, 7/1975 • Roger S. Cohen, Jr. • Superior Galleries 2/1992: 783 $1,595 • Chris Victor McCawley (CVM).

VG-7 Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 128 $25 • T. James Clarke, 1944 • B. Max Mehl • B. Max Mehl #112, 4/1949: 2326 $11.50 • Willard C. Blaisdell • Jack H. Beymer, 3/1981 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 119 $2,750 • Larry Briggs Rare Coins.

VG-7 Sharpness of F-15 but rough. M & G Auctions 8/1996: 124 $1,677.50 • Steven K. Ellsworth.

VG-7 Douglas F. Bird. Dean Pollack.

VG-7 Scott Williams.

G-6 Louis Goldstein (Lucky Lou's Coins) • William R.T. Smith, 2/15/1975 • Charles A. Blood. Early American Coppers 4/1985: 121 $950 • Frank H. Stillinger.

G-6 Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 140 $65 • Dorothy Paschal • Eugene Exman • William R. T. Smith, 5/22/1974 • Philip Van Cleave • Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #340, 1/1986: 5114 $742.50 • Joseph Tomasko, Jr.

G-6 T.James Clarke. • Henry C. Hines • John P. Young • M. H. Bolender #181, 9/1951: 73 $12 • Dr. Charles L. Ruby, 12/1972 • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. • Superior Galleries 2/1975: 100 $135.