Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 22.

Reverse X. Six berries on each branch with one berry on the left below 0, diagnostic with the large fraction. U is more than its own width away from the ribbon. Fraction is very wide, spaced 100 with the bar exceptionally long. In ONE, E is high.

Die states: I. Perfect dies.

II. Rim break below the left ribbon end and 1(00).

Equivalents: Clapp-Newcomb 14. Sheldon 118. EAC 39. Encyclopedia 1699.

High Rarity 5.

Remarks: Supposedly discovered by Ambrose J. Brown, about February 1933, however, George H. Clapp first described it. (Numismatist, January 1934, p. 18. Lapp & Silberman, p. 375.) If Proskey, who died in 1928, owned the Hines example, he may have known it was a new variety, however, did not publicize it.

Reverse resembles W of number 37 in position of the top leaf; but it is much closer to Y of number 40 and to E of 1797 number 8. All these are closely associated in time.

Most, if not all, are on Boulton blanks. A state I example in the Jack H. Robinson collection (lot 219) was struck from misaligned dies.

Condition Census:

EF-45 Ambrose J. Brown, 2/1933 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State II. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Clapp-Newcomb and in Noyes. Reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

VF-35 Sharpness of AU-50 but two reverse edge dents; cleaned and recolored. Copley Coin Co., 8/2/1954 • C. Douglas Smith, 12/1956 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 12/1993 • John Whitney.

VF-20 Sharpness of VF-35 but porosity and scratches on obverse. David Proskey • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal.

VF-20 Sharpness of VF-30 but some edge dents. John P. Young • M. H. Bolender #181, 9/1951: 70 $70 • Willard C. Blaisdell, 9/1977 • Denis W. Loring, 2/1978 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 163 $2,860 • Charles E. Harrison - Fred H. Borcherdt. State II.

F-15 Robert F. Batchelder, 6/13/1960 • C. Douglas Smith, 1970 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 162 $1,760 • Wes A. Rasmussen. State I.

VG-10 Sharpness of VF-30 but porous. Henry C. Hines • William Rabin • Dr. Charles L. Ruby, 12/1972 • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. • Superior Galleries 2/1974: 459 $225 • Charles A. Blood.

VG-10 John A. Schreuder, 4/1970 • Del Bland • C. Douglas Smith, 6/30/1970 • Denis W. Loring, 5/26/1971 • Philip Van Cleave. Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #340, 1/1986: 5125 $1,017.50 • Jack H. Robinson • Superior Galleries 1/1989: 219 $3,520 • Anthony Terranova • John Whitney • Michael "Mickey" Arconti. State I.

VG-10 Sharpness of VF-35 but fine roughness, some obverse pit marks and reverse edge dents. Purchased unattributed in 8/1987 at the ANA convention by Mark Borckardt (The Collector's Cabinet) • Ken Mote • Don Valenziano, Jr. • James E. Long, Jr. (J. E. L. Coins) • Early Copper Auction #5, 8/1992: 75 $2,145 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp &: Coin Co. 1/1996: 165 $1,760 • Chris Vietor-McCawley (CVM).

VG-8 George H. Clapp • Dr. Charles L. Ruby, 12/1972 • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. • Superior Galleries 2/1975: 111 $145 • Myles Z. Gerson • Dr. Philip W. Ralls.

VG-8 Sharpness of F-15 but rough. Thomas D. Reynolds FPL #86, 10-11/1996 $2,400 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington.

VG-8 Purchased unattributed in 10/1969 by Denis W. Loring • William Straus.

VG-8 Lee G. Lahrman • A. Kosoff 2/1963: 185 $400.

VG-8 Henry C. Colvin. French's #80, 10/1962: 88 $76.