Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 19. Lowest curl is repaired, normally curved at the right next to 1 (on most previous dies it is chipped and shows a straight line nearest 1). Upright of 1 (not merely its top serif) is unusually close to the curl. Left base of y is broken. Dot above base of L with two tiny spines on the right upright of T. Plain chip slants up in the field before the nose.

Reverse V. Repunched F, its base and top thick. (On state II and ill coins with the severe clash marks, this is no longer plain enough to use as a diagnostic trait.)

Edge: Plain edge (PE).

Die states: 1. Perfect dies without clash marks. Extremely rare.

II. Single set of obverse clash marks from the dentils near the border at 4:00-7:00 and from leaves below the ribbon and jaw. The reverse has clash marks from 1800 behind TES and right and from the drapery below TES and through OF.

III. Double clash marks in the same locations.

IV. At least three sets of obverse clash marks including those from dentils through BERT. Reverse has at least seven sets of clash marks.

V. Bulges develop at the bust, date, and low curls, obscuring extra clash marks. Reverse has at least six additional sets of clash marks from the drapery at OF. TES OF are now distorted.

Equivalents: Proskey 13. Doughty 151. McGirk 4H. Ross 12:8-J. Clapp-Newcomb 16. Sheldon 203. EAC 29. Encyclopedia 1737.

Low Rarity 3.

Remarks: State I was unknown to Doughty. Only the Single example was known until recent years. The Robinson S. Brown, Jr. (1986 lot 295) coin is worn enough to obscure the chip before the nose.

The badly clashed reverse reappears in 1801.

Condition Census:

MS-61 Francis H. Lee, circa 1913 • Essex Institute • Stack's 2/1975: 147 $3,500 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/ 1992 • Eric Streiner. State V. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

MS-60 With some blunt striking. Geo. W. Rice • St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co. #16, 4/1906: 1012 $14.75 • Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 294 $90 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State IV.

AU-55 S. H. & H. Chapman • William F. Gable. S. H.Chapman 5/1914: 1278 $19.50 • Walter Garrabrant. Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/15/1975 • Charles E. Harrison, 11/ 14/1990 • Douglas F. Bird • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner. Reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

EF-40 Smithtown Coins, 8/1981 • Douglas F. Bird. Jesse Patrick (Larkfield Coins), 4/1982 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 227 $1,925 • Gary Ruttenberg • M & G Auctions 8/1996: 194 $3,080 • Walter Husak.

EF-40 Peter Mougey • William H. Woodin • Thomas L. Elder #43, 9/1910: 43 $30 • Carl Wurtzbach.

VF-35 With some blunt striking. Stack's FPL #75, 1969 $375 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 518 $375 • A-Mark Coin Co. • First Coinvestors • Pine Tree Auction Co. 2/1975: 733 $350 • First Coinvestors • Superior Stamp & Coin Co., privately 8/1974. Denis W. Loring, 1/1985 • Dr. Philip W. Ralls • Superior Galleries 9/1993: 101. State IV.

VF-35 Henry C. Hines, 2/16/1940 • Judge Thomas L.Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/ 1956 • Dorothy Paschal, 9/1972 • Ellen Enzler • Numismatic and Antiquarian Service Corporation of America 12/1978: 2625 not sold • Ellen Enzler.

VF-35 Philip G. Straus • Stack's 5/1959: 185 $85 • C. Douglas Smith, 1971 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 296 $1,760. State W.

VF-35 James G. Macallister, 9/1931 • Frank Hussey • New Netherlands Coin Co. #54, 4/1960: 1412 $80 • Glen Wallace • A. Kosoff • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1974: 885 $300 • unknown. Stack's 4/1977: 1022 $320 • Dr. Willard J. Carmel, Jr. • Jack H. Beymer • John Boise.

VF-35 Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 248 $65 • Henry A. Sternberg, 8/1930 • T. James Clarke, 10/1954 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Denis W. Loring, 5/1971 • Dr. Dane B. Nielsen • Myles Z. Gerson, 10/1980 • Fred H. Borcherdt.

VF-35 Harmer Rooke Numismatists, Ltd. 9/1980: 59 $270 • Del Bland • Denis W. Loring. Dr. Bruce Reinoehl.