Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 9. LIBERTY is placed well to the right with the point of curl below left edge of upright of B. Two top hair waves are below B and E with the B leaning right. lY minutely low. Very wide date.

Reverse J. Five berries left and four right with none at (N)T, like reverse K. The numerator is normally placed and point of a leaf is under the upright of D, unlike reverse K. TS have broken right feet. AM are joined.

Die states: 1. Perfect dies. Extremely rare with only three or four known.

II. Faint single clash marks from ribbons, stems, and fraction at IBERTY with the numerator at BE. Reverse clash marks from IBER and two rows of dentils at numerator, ribbons, stems, and lower leaves. Faint crack from left end of the fraction bar through the ribbon end to u. Extremely rare. See Remarks.

III. At least three sets of stronger clash marks in the same areas, but no rim break (dentils still show over B).

IV. Rim break above B, at first narrow and only slightly beyond dentils, later closer to B. No crumbling on lower right leaf. Newcomb 8b-H.

V. Reverse crumbling on lower edge of the lowest right leaf. Newcomb 8b-Hb.

VI. Rim break on BERT, obliterating the upper half of E, top of R, and left arm of T. Additional clash marks in the usual places. Reverse has at least 12 sets of clash marks from dentils at UN and RICA. Crumbling also on the lower edge of the right stem end. Newcomb 8c-Hc. See Remarks.

Equivalents: McGirk 19A. Newcomb 12. Sheldon 234. EAC 12. Encyclopedia 1749.

High Rarity 3.

Remarks: Discovered by A. C. Gies in 1914. At the 1989 EAC convention, Peter Boisvert showed me a state I coin overstruck on an off center brockage, calling it the "coin that broke the die" which would make sense if the brockage impression had jarred the obverse die loose into axial misalignment.

The clashing of states II and III occurred while the obverse die was loose and in axial misalignment.

The latter was corrected at state IV, as the coins of this and later die states do not show the tell-tale weakness at the date and top of the reverse.

Between states V and VI the obverse die again became loose and repeated clashing in axial misalignment broke off the weakened area at BERT.

State VI has been nicknamed "dripping paint," from the configuration of the obverse break. (Editor's note: the original source has not been identified.)

Condition Census:

MS-65 Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 366 $150 • T. James Clarke, 1950 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner • Jay Parrino (The Mint) • John F. E. Carroll. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes. Frequently exhibited at ANA conventions, Newcomb considered this coin "the most beautiful early cent." In the Newcomb catalogue, James G. Macallister said, "We could write a full page and not do justice to the beauty of this cent."

MS-61 Charles E. Clapp, Sr., 7/1924 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal, 1974 • William R. T. Smith, 2/16/1975 • C. Douglas Smith, 5/29/1975 • Jerry A. Bobbe • C. Douglas Smith • Myles Z. Gerson. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Newcomb. Obverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

MS-61 Discovered in 10/1976 at the Swiss Coin Fair (Switzerland) by Michael Graham • Allen Harriman • Auction '81 (Superior Stamp & Coin Co.): 520 $7,400 • C. Douglas Smith • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 211 $8,800 • Dr. John R. Hain.

AU-50 Lorin G. Parmelee • New York Coin & Stamp Co. 6/1890: 800 $5.62 • unknown • James G. Macallister, 5/1934 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State VI. Obverse illustrated in Noyes.

AU-50 Sharpness of MS-60 but faint obverse scratches. Richard B. Winsor • S. H. & H. Chapman 12/1895: 877 $16.50 • Virgil M. Brand • Barney Bluestone, 1/1938 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State II.

EF-45 Sharpness of MS-60 but lightly burnished. Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 384 $90 • Dorothy Paschal • Stack's, 5/26/1977 • Andrew M. Hain • Dennis E. Steinmetz (Steinmetz Coins & Currency) • 1980 ANA (Steve Ivy Numismatic Auctions): 956 $3,000 • Steve Ivy Rare Coin Co. • Steve Ivy Numismatic Auctions #1, 3/1981: 16 $2,600 • Julian Leidman • unknown. Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1995: 34 as "MS-63" $1,760 • John A. Keyes.

EF-45 Purchased unattributed in 6/1984 at the Garden State Numismatic Association convention by John Darmanin. State I.

EF-45 Sharpness of AU-55 but some light corrosion. George C. Carlton • Thomas L. Elder 12/1917: 710 $15 • unknown • Dr. William H. Sheldon • ANS.

VF-35 Sharpness of EF-45 but light obverse scratches. Gen. Miles Stanley Newton • 1970 ANA (Rare Coin Company of America): 68 $180 • C. Douglas Smith. State VI.

VF-35 Frank H. Masters, Jr. • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1971: 148 $145 • R E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 550 $250 • John M. Ward, Jr.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but some minute corrosion. Jonathan K. Kern, 5/1984. Fred H. Borcherdt.

VF-25 Dr. William H. Sheldon, 11/1948 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 • Dorothy Paschal • New Netherlands Coin Co. #50, 12/1957: 1193 $52.50 • Harold Bareford, 9/13/1985 • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 212 $577.50 • Dr. Harry Salyards.

VF-25 Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 382 $90. A. Kosoff • R E. Naftzger, Jr. • Early American Coppers 4/ 1989: 130 $700 • Stan DesMarais.

VF-25 Charles R. Mathewson. Robert Le Blanc (Le Blanc Numismatics) • Denis W. Loring, 7/1982 • Dr. Bruce Reinoehl.

VF-25 Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 1956 • C. Douglas Smith.

VF-25 Robert J. Kissner • Stack's 6/1975: 351 $140.

VF-25 C. H. Stearns • Mayflower Coin Auctions 12/1966: 353 $165.