Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 6.

Reverse E. Retrieved for further service after reverses F and G broke.

Die states: I. Reverse dash marks from LIBERTY on the border (from the obverse of number 8). Dies axially misaligned: weakest at end of the drapery and at OF. Newcomb 5-B. Very rare.

II. Obverse clash marks from dentils above LIBE, others (blurred) above BERTY. Faint bulge at 8O. Very rare.

III. Additional obverse clash marks in the same areas.

Reverse cracked from the middle of (N)I through x to the base of u. Later this crack extends through top of the first 0 to middle 0. The axial misalignment has been corrected.

Newcomb 5-Bb.

IV: Obverse has at least six additional sets of clash marks in the same areas, heavier than previous sets. The reverse crack of state III extends through I to the rim.

Later, this crack becomes heavy. V. Reverse is cracked from the rim through (I)T, through an adjacent leaf, ribbon, numerator, bar, and the right ribbon. Later weakening at ERTY.

VI. Obverse clash marks obliterate BERT. Reverse has been lapped to remove clash marks. The denominator is weaker.

VII. Cracked from (A)T to N(E), (N)T, and to the wreath.

VIII. A retained cud forms at UNI and extends toward the denominator.

Equivalents: Proskey 1. Doughty 156. McGirk 1A, 1B, 1B2. Newcomb 6. Sheldon 219. EAC 9. Encyclopedia 1739.

Low Rarity 2.

Remarks: The common Three Errors variety. Long considered rare and always popular. McGirk rated it rarity 10 with perfect die and rarity 9 when cracked. For many generations this has commanded a premium as a blundered die.

Condition Census:

MS-61 Chas. Steigerwalt FPL, 10/1904 • A. C. Gies • Thomas L. Elder 10/1935: 836f $117 • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 1945 • Sheraton Coin Co. • Ernest Henderson, 1958 • Dorothy Paschal, 1958 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/ 23/1992 • Eric Streiner • Jay Parrino (The Mint), 9/1993 • Denis W. Loring • Bowers and Merena 8/1995: 14 not sold • Denis W. Loring, 12/1996 • John B. MacDonald. State V. Reverse illustrated in Penny Whimsy. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

AU-55 Harlan P. Smith • S. H. & H. Chapman 5/1906: 1097 $30 • Dr. Lewis H. Adler, Jr., 3/1917 • B. Max Mehl • Howard R. Newcomb, privately • Charles M. Williams • Numismatic Gallery #68, 11/1950: 181 $300 • Harold Bare£ord, 9/13/1985 • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 191 $7,700 • Anthony Terranova.

AU-50 Rodney T. Grove • Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling • Cape Kennedy Medals 7/1976: 25 $3,900 • Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling • Anthony Terranova, 1980 • Gene Reale. Sotheby's (New York) #7083, 1/1998: 31 $16,500 • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM), 4/13/1998 • Al Boka.

AU-50 From England • Abner Kreisberg and Jerry Cohen, 4/1970 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 532 $1,700 • First Coinvestors • Pine Tree Auction Co. 2/1975: 742 $1,900 • William R. T. Smith • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Jack H. Beymer.

AU-50 Hathaway and Bowers Galleries FPLs, 1970 $995 • John W. Adams • C. Douglas Smith • William R. T. Smith • J. J. Teaparty.

EF-45 Auction '79 (Paramount International Sales Corp.): 2 $1,850 • Stack's.

EF-45 Col. James W. Ellsworth, 3/1923 • Wayte Raymond, 3/1923 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State IV. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Newcomb. Obverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

EF-40 James G. Maca11ister, 2/10/1937 • Frank Hussey • New Netherlands Coin Co. #54, 4/1960: 1417 $185 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. State 1.

EF-40 With some blunt striking. Sharpness of AU-50 but cleaned and recolored. Purchased in 8/1891 from F. W. Lincoln (W. S. Lincoln & Son, London) by Benjamin H. Collins, 1/26/1896 • Hiram E. Deats • M. H. Bolender #136, 11/1940:655 $26. unknown • James Kelly 10/1954: 738 $187.50 • unknown • Heritage Numismatic Auctions 10/1990: 455 $3,190 • Douglas F. Bird • Paul Norris • Superior Galleries 5/1992: 466 • Henry T. Hettger.