Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 3.

Reverse A. Returned to service after reverse B broke.

Die states: I. Obverse ground down to remove clash marks, though a few remain from dentils left of the date (from reverse B). Faint crack from curl through middle of 18 to O. Rust pits below the final 1 and right. The reverse was ground down to remove clash marks from obverse 2, although traces of 80 remain at AT. The grinding has revealed traces of repunching at the right pendant of (S)T and toe of (M)E. Left bow is incomplete at its base and the right bow is very thin. Newcomb 3-Ad.

II. At least four new sets of clash marks below the ribbon. Heavier clash marks from TES at the date and from blurred dentils right of the date. Reverse clash marks from the low curl at AT and from the date at TES.

III. Three parallel and partially overlapping arc cracks: from the left rim behind the head almost to the hair, just below the first crack from middle of the field just left of third curl from the bottom and into the hair, and from just below the junction of the second crack with the hair, curving down through 01. A new reverse crack heavily joins the earlier crack to 1(00).

IV. Reverse cracked from tops of OF to the rim. Newcomb 3b-Ae.

V. Heavy bulges left of the date and at ATES. Severe additional clash marks from the drapery above OF. Dentils are now mostly weak. Axial misalignment weakens the upper right obverse and lower right reverse. Newcomb 3c-Af.

VI. Rim break at 01. Newcomb 3d-Af.

VII. Crack from the lowest curl, parallel to the rim, through the date to the rim near end of the drapery.

VIII. Die failing above TY. Additional heavy clash marks at 5 OF. Bulges through STATES OF to over AM.

Equivalents: Newcomb 3. Sheldon 215. EAC 3. Encyclopedia 1738.

Low Rarity 5.

Remarks: Apparently discovered by Howard R Newcomb. An early state may exist with obverse clash marks but none of the later failures.

Condition Census:

MS-65 From Connecticut • Barnie Bluestone #45, 10/ 1939: 763 • Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 318 $1,200 • C. Douglas Smith • A. Kosoff, 8/14/1957 • R E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner. State V. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

AU-55 George S. Lockwood • University of Michigan • Joseph Lepczyk #58, 7/1984: 75 $2,700 • Robert E. Matthews • C. Douglas Smith • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 189 $11,550 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/ 1992 • Eric Streiner. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

AU-50 Undertype visible in center of obverse. M. A. Brown • S. H. & H. Chapman 4/1897: 791 $12.50 • George H. Earle, Jr. • Henry Chapman 6/1912: 3420 $13 • Elmer S. Sears • Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 314 $40 • George H. Clapp. ANS. State IV. Obverse illustrated in Newcomb. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents, in Penny Whimsy and in Noyes.

EF-45 Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 315 $45 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon. State 1. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Newcomb.

EF-45 Thomas Warner • S. H. & H. Chapman 6/1884: 3012 $9.25.

VF-35 Virgil M. Brand • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 8/14/1951 • C. Douglas Smith. 1971 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 316 $1,375. State II.

VF-25 Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon • ANS. Reverse illustrated in Newcomb.

VF-25 Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #312, 7/1978: 42 $250.

VF-20 Sharpness of VF-35 but obverse pitting. Homer K. Downing • 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. #38): 1879 $19 • M. A. Kaplan, 8/28/1952 • C. Douglas Smith • Dorothy Paschal, 3/1977 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 317 $715 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 298 $1,265. Stuart "Mac" MacDonald • Heritage Numismatic Auctions 9/1997: 5151 $1,782 • Phillip W. Clover. State V.

VF-20 David Proskey • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 11/1948 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 • Dorothy Paschal, 1972 • William R. T. Smith.

F-15 Sharpness of VF-30 but some corrosion. Denis W. Loring, 1967 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr., 5/10/1972 • C. Douglas Smith • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 237 $990 • John R. Frankenfield.

F-15 Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal • Denis W. Loring, 5/26/1971. Philip Van Cleave. Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #340, 1/1986: 5237 $687.50. State III.

F-15 Denis W. Loring, 3/29/1971 • an unidentified eastern collector.