Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 8. Style I letters. Large 8 which is low. Spur on the right edge of 9. Hollow area in the lower curls at left.

Reverse J. Two spurs within top of O(F). Leaf points below centers of D and final S. E below C-NT. Berry below E(D) is well away from the adjacent leaves.

Edge: Known with plain edge (PE), beaded edge (BE), and double-flange edge (DFE).

Die states: I. Reverse cracked through the tops of NITED ST, later through UNITED STATES. The latter is Clapp 5-Eb.

II. Obverse faintly cracked from back of the lowest curl into the field, from base of date into the left field, and from the rim to end of drapery. Clapp 5b-Eb.

III. Obverse cracked through the tops of LIBERTY. Reverse cracked through tops of OF extending left, later joining the first crack at final s.

IV. Faint crack through the tops of AMER.

V. Heavy crack from the rim to right top of E, tops of RT, and to the rim above Y. Break in dentils above y. Very rare. Discovered by Peter Boisvert.

VI. Obverse cracked from the rim past 8 to the drapery. Rim break at ERTY, touching RT. Rust pit in drapery. Clapp 5c-Ec.

VII. Double reverse clash marks.

VIII. Rim break touching end of the drapery and extending five millimeters up to the right. Reverse crack of state IV now extends through the tops of AMERICA. Clapp 5d-Ec, "scarce."

Equivalents: Doughty 117. Proskey 9. McGirk 3A, 3B. Clapp 6. Sheldon 148. EAC 12. Encyclopedia 1716.

Rarity 2.

Remarks: The obverse die was made about the same time as obverses 2 and 3 but not then used. Planchet texture is entirely unlike that on the first seven varieties of this date, but similar to the next. This is the final appearance of Style I obverse letters.

Condition Census:

MS-63 Elmer S. Sears, 6/1926 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State II. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Clapp, in Early American Cents, in Penny Whimsy, and in Noyes.

MS-61 Dr. Lewis H. Adler, Jr., 3/1917 • B. Max Mehl • Robert D. Book, 5/1930 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon.

MS-60 Henry C. Hines • Lillian Scheer (Hine's house-keeper) • Homer K. Downing, 1950 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 1958 • C. Douglas Smith.

AU-50 Double profile. Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 188 $70 • James Kelly • Milton A. Holmes • Stack's 10/1960: 1399 $210 • Dorothy Paschal, 1972 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 211 $5,060 • Thomas D. Reynolds. State II.

EF-40 Sharpness of AU-55 but obverse burnished. Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 185 $60 • Dorothy Nelson. Stack's 2/1976: 39 $170 • Joseph Kuehnert • George Szykier.

EF-40 Ray Byrne (Pittsburgh) • Abner Kreisberg Corp., privately 5/1974 C. Douglas Smith Dr. Philip W.Ralls.

EF-40 Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 187 $30.

VF-35 With some low spots on both sides. Raymond Gallo, 10/1960 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 464 $120 • Denis W. Loring, 5/1974 • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Myles Z. Gerson. C. Douglas Smith • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 168 $1,375 • Gary Ruttenberg • M & G Auctions 8/1996: 152 $2,420 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington.

VF-35 With planchet defects. Elmer S. Sears, 6/1926. George H. Clapp • ANS. State VII. Obverse illustrated in Early American Cents, in Penny Whimsy, and in Noyes.

VF-30 From a type set to Karl Stephens • Stephen Fischer, 1/1985 • Thomas D. Reynolds.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-45 but some obverse porosity and fine pitting. Homer K. Downing • 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. #38): 1789 $8.50 • C. Douglas Smith.

VF-30 David Proskey • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal.

VF-30 Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon. C. Douglas Smith • Edward H. Schwartz • A. Kosoff 10/ 1961: 170 $120 • Stack's • Frank H. Masters, Jr. • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1971: 112 $475 • unknown • Bowers and Merena Galleries 11/1983: 2563 $544.50.