Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Head of 1799

Obverse 19. LI are close, IBERTY are widely spaced, and y leans further right than other letters. Tops and bases of yare broken. Numerals from the same punches as before, but apparently strengthened by hand: Sheldon called these "crude or homemade." (Early American Cents, p. 222; Penny Whimsy, p. 232.)
Crisscross die file marks in the field before the neck: these later fade out or are polished off die.

Reverse P. Type of 1799. See description at number 21. Edge: Reeded edge (RE), plain edge (PE), and double-flange edge (DFE). See Remarks.

Die states: I. Perfect obverse die. Clapp claims perfect reverse die, which would mean it was struck before the last of number 23. Clapp 28-O. Unconfirmed as described and doubtless extremely rare if it exists.

II. Faintest partial traces of a vertical obverse crack, not always visible on worn specimens. Reverse chip between D S is larger. Very rare.

III. Crack in field above S OF A, at first faint. Clapp 28-Ob. Rare.

IV. Vertical chip between RT; few others scattered in straight line between end of drapery and Y, at first faint and discontinuous. Reverse bulge develops at S OF, at first very faint.

V. Reverse at least three (later four) sets of clash marks, from 8 and drapery, below and through TES 0 and, from dentils, above TES OF AMER.

VI. Light bulge develops between end of the drapery and rim. More die chips or scaling slanting down between D S to c(E). Reverse briefly laid aside: earliest examples of number 25 followed.

VII. Obverse crack continuous from end of the drapery to v. Clapp 28b-Ob.

VIII. Lump at end of the drapery. Clapp 28c-Ob.

IX. Crack through AM to top of E.

Equivalents: McGirk 23B. Clapp 36. Sheldon 176. EAC 24. Encyclopedia 1732.

Low Rarity 4.

Remarks: Apparently discovered by Dr. Charles E. McGirk. Introduction of this new obverse device punch ("Style II hair") became necessary because the old one had chipped.

Richard Doty identified a reeded edge specimen as overstruck on a genuine 1788 Anglesey Mines (Druid's Head) halfpenny token, D&H 282 or 294. Letters N ANGL remain on the edge from the token's original edge device (most likely PAYABLE IN ANGLESEY LONDON OR LIVERPOOL). (ANS. Listed in the census below as EF-40. Possibly from a Thomas L. Elder sale of 1/1931.)

The light edge reeding is found on cents of 1797-98 known to be on Coltman blanks, never to date on specimens identifiable as on Boulton blanks, Where was the reeding imparted? Coltman could hardly have bought up even counterfeit tokens in any quantity at commercial rates, let alone the more expensive genuine circulating copper tokens, to palm off as normal planchets. Their contract specified blanks cut from strip of specified thickness-much cheaper than buying tokens. This suggests that the edge reeding was applied in the Mint, like the other edge devices of 1797, most likely by the upsetting machine which imparted roundness and raised rims. There is no Archives reference to any purchases of tokens, other than the two lots from Talbot, Allum & Lee used for making half cents.

Condition Census:

AU-50 Thomas Cleneay • S. H. & H. Chapman 121 1890: 1814 $10.75 • Dr. Thomas Hall, 9/7/1909 • Virgil M. Brand. T. James Clarke • John H. Payne, 9/1954 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 4/2/1992 • Thomas D. Reynolds. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy, the reverse also for S-162. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

EF-40 Struck over a 1794 English token with N ANGL incused on edge. Sharpness of AU-50 but an obverse scratch plus some spots and two edge dents on reverse. James G. Macallister • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #454, 1/1944: 425 as • "D-119" $42.50 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State V.

VF-30 Sharpness of AU-50 but severe edge dents. R. W. Randall (England) • New Netherlands Coin Co. 3/1973: 43 $375 • Denis W. Loring, 3/3/1974 • C. Douglas Smith.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but reverse is somewhat rough. Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 250 $40 • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #461, 5/1945: 250 $18 • Willard C. Blaisdell • Del Bland • Jeffrey Oliphant. Obverse illustrated in Clapp.