Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 12. LIBERTY close with BE apart and E leaning right. R is slightly high with its base above E and T. Usually identified by the cracks of state III.

Reverse K. High numerator, very distant from fraction bar, which is long, thin, and slants down to the right. ED are repunched, plainest at the right upright of E and base of o. Right base of all TS are broken. CE are below NT.

Berry opposite E(O) is stemless. Five berries left and four right (states II and later).

Die states: 1. Perfect obverse. Reverse has 10 berries with five in each branch. The berry at (N)T is small and weak but plainly visible. No clash marks are visible.

Extremely rare. Discovered by John D. Wright, October 1976. Dr. Harry Salyards owns an example with the obverse perfect, and clearly with only nine berries.

II. No obverse cracks. Only nine berries show. New clash marks from ERTY and top of the hair at fraction and final A. Newcomb 12-K. Rare.

III. Obverse cracked from the rim through R and forelock, to the rim before mouth. Another crack from the rim through E and hair to the field, joining the first crack before the brow. A third crack from base of y into the field parallel to the first crack. Reverse again reground with former clash marks gone, new clash marks from dentils through fraction, right ribbon, and RICA.

IV. Additional heavy clash marks from RTY at the numerator, dentils at the denominator and right. Newcomb 12b-Kb.

v. Crack from tip of nose curving toward rim, abruptly and faintly turning down to the rim opposite end of the drapery. Reverse cracked from rim between AT through foot of A to leaves, NE, wreath, and right foot of A(M) to the rim. Additional clash marks from dentils at 1(00) to u. Newcomb 12c-Kc.

Equivalents: Proskey 14. Doughty 177. McGirk 18A, 18B. Ross 1O-L. Newcomb 17. Sheldon 239. EAC 17. Encyclopedia 1749.

Rarity 3.

Remarks: A die state may exist between states I and II, showing all 10 berries and severe reverse clash marks. Other intermediate states are probable. The location of the obverse cracks and escalating clash marks indicates that the obverse die repeatedly came loose (exactly as in number 14), clashed while loose, and had to be repositioned; the stressed areas of the obverse and reverse are exactly opposed.

A later die state may exist showing a retained cud or even a full break (narrow piece out of the die) between forelock, brow, and rim.

Condition Census:

AU-55 David Proskey • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents, in Penny Whimsy, and in Noyes. This coin was Hines' candidate for "the most perfect 1802 cent" in the friendly rivalry with George H. Clapp, Howard R. Newcomb, and Dr. George P. French.

AU-55 Richard Picker • Dorothy Paschal • Donald G. Partrick • Stack's 5/1975: 563 $1,400 • Gordon J. Wrubel, 1/1976 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Early American Coppers 5/1990: 63 $5,200. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

AU-55 Elmer S. Sears, 6/1926 • George H. Clapp • ANS • (no longer in ANS collection). State IV.

AU-50 John Work Garrett • Johns Hopkins University • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries 11/1979: 106 $1,200 • Wade Hinderling • Gunther P. Garbe • Bowers and Merena 3/ 1996: 347 $1,320 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington. State IV.

EF-45 Arthur L. Gray • J. c. Morgenthau & Co. #394, 2/1939: 564 $42 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 • Dorothy Paschal • unknown • Abner Kreisberg Corp., 1/1979 • Del Bland.

EF-45 With a large, shallow low spot on neck. William P. Paul (American Heritage Minting) FPL, Fall 1978 • Jack H. Beymer.

EF-45 With a minute planchet clip. Sharpness of AU-55 but scratches on obverse. Willard C. Blaisdell • George Ramont, 5/18/1993 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 334 $1,155 • Chris Victor McCawley (CVM) • Walter Husak.

EF-45 Edward F. Nowak • Gordon J. Wrubel, Ray Chatham.

EF-40 Richard Picker • C. Douglas Smith.

EF-40 Sharpness of AU-50 but cleaned and recolored. Bowers and Ruddy Galleries FPLs, 1974-1975 $2,395 • Bowers and Ruddy Galleries 2/1976: 1074 $2,000 • unknown • Heritage Numismatic Auctions 2/1994: 6686.

EF-40 Kenneth W. Rendell • C. Douglas Smith.

EF-40 C. Douglas Smith • Dr. William H. Sheldon • New Netherlands Coin Co. #50, 12/1957: 1203 $46 • Allen E. McDowell.