Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 19.

Reverse S. Type of 1797, small fraction. Six berries left and five right. Point of the right terminal leaf is midway between so-both features are diagnostic for the Type of 1797, small fraction reverses. Berry below c(E) is more like a lump on the stem and the next two berries on the left have lumpy stems, possibly joined by a break. Berries on the right branch have thick stems. AMERICA is widely spaced and R leans well to the right. Tiny defect hangs down from the toe of (N)E and another is near the rim above the space between IC, CENT is close to the bows with the tops of NT joined, this N first entered rotated 180°, then corrected, the extra serif still plain at lower right, almost touching the foot of T.

Die states: 1. Obverse as number 31. Light reverse clash mark from the bust above NE and from the hair left of O CE,

II. Extra clash marks on both sides. Reverse clash marks especially heavy from the bust at O(F).

III. Rim break above IC.

IV. Obverse failure at ER advanced. Reverse rim break on TE(S). (Reported By Herbert A. Silberman, Penny-Wise, no. 12, 5/15/1969, p. 98.)

Equivalents: Clapp-Newcomb 31. Sheldon NC-3. EAC 33. Encyclopedia 1694.

Rarity 6. Nineteen examples are currently known. Remarks:

Discovered by Charles E. Clapp, Sr. in 1924 and first published by George H. Clapp. (Numismatist, January 1934, p. 18. Lapp & Silberman, p. 375.) Dr. French called this variety "G-42," perhaps referring to a coin in state II or III.

Struck on concavo-convex blanks.

Condition Census:

VF-30 Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL,1929: 146 as "G-42" $75 • T. James Clarke, 1944 • B. Max Mehl, 4/24/1947 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner • George E. Ewing, Jr. • Early American Coppers 4/1994: 212 $20,000 • Anthony Terranova • John Whitney. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

F-15 Barry Fox, 3/1971 • Denis W. Loring, 4/1971 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 128 $4,620 • Dr. C. R. Chambers • Dennis Mendelson • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM). State 1.

F-12 Sharpness of EF-40 but burnished with porosity still evident. Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 149 $150 • T. James Clarke, 1944 • B. Max Mehl • unknown • Thomas E. Werner • George Ramont, 3/21/1972 • an unidentified eastern collector.

VG-10 Sharpness of VF-25 but many long obverse scratches. Consigned unattributed from a Maine estate to Bruce A. Buxton 4/1993: 506 • Gerald Silbert (Marblehead Coins) • Charles A. Blood • Early American Coppers 4/1997: 131 $5,500 • Steven K. Ellsworth.

VG-8 Purchased unattributed on 3 /6/1976 by Herbert A. Silberman, 11/1977 • Chuck Furjanic, 5/1978 • John B. Wright. State IV.

VG-7 Sharpness of VF-25 but some pitting, mostly on obverse. Purchased unattributed on 8/31/1984 from Goldie's Coin Shop by James Young, Jr.

VG-7 Catalogued unattributed by C. E. Bullowa (Coinhunter) 6/1991: 694 $2,250 • David L. Palmer • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr.

G-6 Purchased unattributed in 4/1955 by Walter Breen • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr .• New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 415 $650 • Dr. C. R. Chambers, 11/28/1986 • Joseph Tomasko, Jr.

G-5 Sharpness of VF-20 but corroded. Purchased as S-94 from William H. Smith by Christopher B. Young, 11/1994 • Thomas D. Reynolds FPL #88, 2-3/1997 $3,500.

G-5 Sharpness of VG-8 but dented. Charles E. Clapp, Sr., 8/1924 • George H. Clapp • ANS. Reverse illustrated in Clapp-Newcomb, in Early American Cents, and in Penny Whimsy. The discovery coin for the variety.

G-5 Sharper but the obverse is burnished and reverse porous. Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 131 $10 • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal, 11/28/1977 • Dr. Thomas S. Chalkley • Superior Galleries 111990: 294 $3,520 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. •Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 135 $3,080 • Dr. Bruce Reinoehl.

G-5 Sharpness of VG-10 but porous. Purchased unattributed at a flea market in 5/1991 and sold to Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM).

G-5 Purchased unattributed at a La Vale, Maryland coin show from Reb & Yank Coins on 4/18/1998 by Red Henry.

G-4 World-Wide Coin Co., 4/1971 • Denis W. Loring, 5/1974. Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz, 7/1974 William R. T. Smith, 10/5/1974 • Philip Van Cleave • Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #340, 1/1986: 5102 $1,072.50 • Jack H. Robinson, 1/23/1988 • John R. Frankenfield. State I.

AG-3 Purchased unattributed in 11/1982 from A. C. "Hance" Jaquett by Fred H. Borcherdt

AG-3 Dr. C. T. Mayfield • Stack's 1/1958: 565 $70 • Dorothy Paschal.

AG-3 Purchased unattributed in 1978 by Gordon J. Wrubel • Thomas P. Wolf.

FR-2 Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Jack H. Beymer • Richard V. Punchard • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. • David L. Palmer.

FR-2 Sharpness of G-5 but corroded and slightly bent. Purchased unattributed by Henry T. Hettger • Grant O. Reed • Superior Stamp & Coin 9/1998: 1156 $440 • Phillip W. Clover.

No other examples have been reported.