Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 17. Wide date with 98 apart. Faint lines from the dentils near end of the drapery.

Reverse P. E(S) and F have short lower left serifs; C(E) has a pointed serif. (M)E first rotated 180 degrees then corrected (use a strong glass to see this); other ES are normal; R is normal. Small center dot. Two parallel lines join adjacent dentils to adjacent top comers of ER. Field chip left of the upper curve of S(T).

Edge: Plain edge (PE), beaded edge (BE), and double-flange edge (DFE).

Die states: I. Perfect dies. Clapp 17-O.

II. Obverse ground down, probably to remove clash marks. The curls are incomplete in the center, horizontal lines through them. Faint crack from the rim through neck and upper part of the drapery into the hair. Minute obverse die chip joins two dentils about 8:00; another near the rim about 8:30, with a faint crack from that point of the rim gradually extending toward the curls.

III. Clash marks, from dentils, at end of the drapery. IV. Bulge at end of the drapery. Clash marks, from dentils, below the date.

V. Small dash left of 1(7). Clapp 17b-O.

Equivalents: Doughty 130. McGirk 18C, 18D. Clapp 20. Sheldon 160. EAC 21. Encyclopedia 1722.

Low Rarity 4.

Remarks: A state with heavy clash marks but no bulge at end of the drapery may exist, between states I and II.

This obverse was probably made close in time to that of number 9.

Condition Census:

MS-61 H. E. Jones (Edinburgh, Scotland) • Scott & Co. 10/1878: 225 $8.50 • S. H. & H. Chapman. Peter Mougey • William H. Woodin • Thomas L. Elder #43, 9/1910: 35 $15.50 • S. H. Chapman • Clarence S. Bement • Henry Chapman 5/1916: 304 $38 • Henry Chapman • Col. James W. Ellsworth, 3/1923 • Wayte Raymond. Charles E. Clapp, Sr., 7/1924 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon. Reverse illustrated in Clapp.

MS-60 With a curoed line-like planchet defect on obverse. E. Shorthouse (England) • S. H. & H. Chapman 12/1889: 537 $8.25 • Peter Mougey • William H. Woodin. Thomas L. Elder #43, 9/1910: 34 $18.50 • S. H. Chapman, 1912 • Dr. Christian A. Allenburger • B. Max Mehl #111, 3/ 1948: 435 $45 • Willard C. Blaisdell, 2/1975. Denis W. Loring, 3/1975 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Auction '81(Stack's): 1511 $2,900 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 3/12/1982 • C. Douglas Smith. State II. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

EF-45 Charles Green (R. Green) • T. James Clarke, 1950 • Dr. William H. Sheldon • ANS.

EF·40 Sharpness of AU-50 but minute handling marks covering the obverse. Bowers and Ruddy Galleries 6/1978: 26 $460 • Dr. Philip W. Ralls

VF-35 Sharpness of EF-45 but gouge at forelock; cleaned and recolored. Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 218 $42.50 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 • Dorothy Paschal, 10/7/1977 • Myles Z. Gerson • Denis W. Loring • Fred H. Borcherdt.

VF-35 Sharpness of MS-60 but dark olive with some erosion and two scratches. Eugene Exman • Darwin B. Palmer, Jr., 1973 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 225 $687.50 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 225 $687.50 • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM) 5/3/1996 • Clay Everhart. State III.

VF-30 From the stock of William Rabin, 10/15/1949 • C. Douglas Smith, 3/1983 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 181 $1,870 • Dr. Philip W. Ralls.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-45 but scratches and handling marks. Stack's, privately • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. William R. T. Smith, 11/1974 "Myles Z. Gerson" Denis W. Loring, 2/1980 • Thomas D. Reynolds.

VF-30 C. Douglas Smith • Dr. Lawrence A. Mattemes • Lester Merkin 10/1973: 286 $325 • Denis W. Loring, 5/1974 Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • William R. T. Smith. Jack H. Beymer • Albert Ault • Alfred K. Nippert, Jr.

VF-25 Sharpness of VF-35 but edge dent and obverse scratch. Purchased unattributed in 5/1975 at the Metro-politan New York convention by Del Bland • Richard H. Wright • Valley Plaza Coins (Richard H. Wright) FPL #1, Fall 1976: 219 $325 • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries 10/1977: 808 $185 •Richard H. Wright. Jack H. Beymer • Dr. Allan S. Pirnique • Early American Coppers 5/1981: 136 $800 • C. Douglas Smith • Frank H. Stillinger.

VF-25 Sharpness of EF-40 but rim nicks and obverse scratches. John R. "Bob" Grellman, Jr. • Early American Coppers 5/1981: 137 $375 John M. Ward, Jr.

VF-25 Oscar J. Pearl • Numismatic Gallery FPL, 1944: 133 $30.