Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 2. Head of 1797. 1800/1798. Extra point to the curl below B.

Reverse A.

Edge: Single-flange edge (SFE).

Die states: I. A die chip joins the bases of ON with bulges at the fraction and below ON.

II. Chip between ED and a lump at the lower curve of (I)C. Clash marks from the dentils above STATES, from the curls within the left wreath, and from the head at the left ribbon. Cracked from the rim above c, through the adjacent A, to the ribbon end and faintly to the final O. Fainter crack from the rim through IC.

III. Rust pits below (S)T, Cracked from the rim to the left ribbon end. Four sets of clash marks within the wreath.

IV. Bulge from the rim to E(D). The bulges of state I are heavier.

V. Reverse has been reground. Bows are incomplete and the leaf nearest C(A) is fragmentary. Bulges and cracks as before.

VI. New heavy clash marks appear in the left wreath with heavy failure above S(T). The bulge below ON is heavier.

VII. Cracked from the rim between ER to the wreath. The reverse is shattered at the lower right.

Equivalents: Doughty 139. Proskey 1. McGirk 1A. Ross 1:1-Ab. Clapp-Newcomb 2. Sheldon 191. EAC 4. Encyclopedia 1735.

Rarity 3.

Remarks: Same edge as in late varieties of 1798. Jenks: 6131 (in ANS) is overstruck on an obverse brockage of apparently this same variety. Its diameter of 31 millimeters suggests that it was not even restrained by the open collar at striking. Most likely the obverse was the upper die, and two or more blanks were in the coining chamber when this was made.

Condition Census:

AU-50 Rodney T. Grove • Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling • Cape Kennedy Medals 7/1976: 23 $1,200 • Dr. Willard J. Carmel, Jr., 10/2/1981 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 215 $5,500 • John R. Frankenfield.

AU-50 Donald Frederick • Gordon J. Wrubel • Del Bland • Dr. Byron M. Stuart • 1977 ANA (Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #309): 288 $725 • William R. T. Smith. State VII.

EF-45 Richard B. Winsor • S. H. & H. Chapman 121 1895: 865 $20 • Arba Borden • Thomas S. Collier • Col. James W. Ellsworth, 3/1923 • Wayte Raymond • Charles E. Clapp, Sr., 7/1924 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon. State VII. Reverse illustrated in Clapp-Newcomb, in Early American Cents, and in Penny Whimsy. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

VF-35 M. A. Brown • S. H. & H. Chapman 4/1897: 785 $8.25 • George H. Earle, Jr. • Henry Chapman 6/ 1912: 3416 $22 • John H. Clapp, 2/6/1942 • Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr .• Bowers and Merena 5/1996: 511 $2,200 • Walter Husak, 4/1996 • Denis W. Loring, 6/1996 • Robert C. Clark. State VII.

VF-35 Struck over another cent. John Story Jenks • Henry Chapman 12/1921: 6131 $15 • Charles E. Clapp, Sr., 7/1924 • George H. Clapp • ANS.

VF-35 James c. Rawls • Stack's 6/1970: 1221 $190 • George Ramont.

VF-35 Sharpness of EF-45 but numerous tiny handling marks. J. C. Morgenthau & Co., 11/4/1940 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill. New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956. Dorothy Paschal. George V. Nelson • Stack's 4/1977: 1065 $310.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but numerous obverse handling marks. Larry Whitlow (Beverly Hills Coin Shop), 2/1971 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 269 $484 • David Liljestrand (Dave's Coin & Stamp Co.) • Denis W. Loring • Enoch Blackwell. State III.

VF-30 James G. Macallister, 9/1931 • Frank Hussey • New Netherlands Coin Co. #54, 4/1960: 1406 $92.50 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 507 $550 • Dr. John M. Tondra, 1980 • Garry Fitzgerald.

VF-30 Donald Apte, 1969 • C. F. Gordon, Jr. • Dr. Philip W. Ralls • Superior Galleries 9/1993: 91 not sold • Dr. Philip W. Ralls, 4/24/1994 • Daniel W. Holmes, Jr.

VF-30 Harmer Rooke Numismatists, Ltd. 9/1980: 57 $2,000 • William Luebke • John Sype, 4/1991 • James H. Goudge, 6/1991 • Don Valenziano, Jr. • Early American Coppers 4/1992: 109 $1,450 • Stuart ''Mac'' MacDonald • Heritage Numismatic Auctions 9/1997: 5140 $1,840 • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM), 9/1997 • Waiter Husak.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but light handling marks and lightly rough. John R. "Bob" Grellman, Jr., 8/19/1983 • Richard V. Punchard.

VF-30 John R. "Bob" Grellman, Jr., circa 1983 • Frank DuVall.

VF-30 Dr. William H. Sheldon • ANS.

VF-30 Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 235 $60 • Henry A. Sternberg, 8/1930 • T. James Clarke, 1944 • B. Max Mehl.