Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 2. Similar to obverses 1 and 3, but LIB are more widely spaced. Unlike obverse I, the 1 is free of hair; 0 2 are more widely spaced than in obverse 3, and R is farther from the hair. Unlike obverse 4, the 8 is normally placed. Broken Y. Three joined dentils at 8:30, as on some later obverse dies.

Reverse B. Incomplete loops. For later use of this die see number 5.

Die states: 1. Perfect obverse. Extremely rare. (Breen, "Cent Collectors' Forum," The Numismatist, July 1957, P: 807.)

II. Nearly straight crack from the rim through curves of B, hair, and earlobe extending faintly to the neck. At first this is very faint, later heavy.

III. Cracked from the rim to drapery right of 2, not at first meeting the crack of state II but at a 45° angle with it, evidently caused by the same stress which produced the latter. Axial misalignment: weak at upper left obverse and lower left reverse.

IV. Clash marks from 100 above ER. Reverse crack extends faintly through AMERI.

Equivalents: Newcomb 3. Sheldon NC-1. EAC 3. Encyclopedia 1750.

High Rarity 5.

Remarks: Probably discovered by Howard R. Newcomb. The first state I coin was discovered during the 1952 ANA Convention. Low-grade examples may not show the reverse crack clearly.

As early as 1952, the history of this variety provided a warning not to take seriously any "non-collectible" designation. To publicize any variety as rare means to predict that few will be found. Any such prediction gives collectors new incentive to search, and sooner or later they find new specimens. This is a textbook example of the Predictor's Paradox, "You change future events by predicting them."

Condition Census:

EF-45 Purchased unattributed at a small New York City coin show in 1959 by C. Douglas Smith, 6/1960 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 4/22/1992 • C. Douglas Smith. State IV. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

VF-25 Copley Coin Co., 11/1956 • C. Douglas Smith, 1/1957 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 6/1960 • C. Douglas Smith, 4/1975 • Denis W. Loring, 6/1977 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Denis W. Loring, 8/8/1977 • C. Douglas Smith, 4/29/1993 • Eric Streiner • Thomas D. Reynolds. Obverse illustrated in Penny Whimsy.

F-15 C. Douglas Smith • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 12/ 1956 • Dorothy Paschal, 1977 • William R. T. Smith. C. Douglas Smith • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 202 $1,760 • John R. Frankenfield. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

F-15 R. K. "Knox" Ivey • Early American Coppers 5/1981: 188 $900 • Fred H. Borcherdt.

F-15 John A. Schreuder, 4/1970 • Del Bland • Williard C. Blaisdell • Del Bland • C. Douglas Smith, 9/1/1981 • Frank H. Stillinger.

F-12 Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 352 $275 • Mrs. R. Henry Norweb • Bowers and Merena 11/1988: 2801 $1,870 • Larry Briggs Rare Coins, 7 /18/1991 • Wes A. Rasmussen.

F-12 David Proskey • Henry C. Hines • Homer K. Downing. 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. #38): 1898 $90 • A. Kosoff • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 542 $325 • Robinson S.Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 335 $880 • Dr. J. Shalowitz • John D. Wright. Obverse illustrated in Early American Cents.

F-12 Ray Shab, 1950 • C. Douglas Smith • Dorothy Paschal • Eugene Exman • Denis W. Loring • C. Douglas Smith, 4/1980 • Fred H. Borcherdt.

F-12 Lester Merkin 3/1969: 661 $170 • John D, Wright • William R. T. Smith.

VG-10 George Ramont • William R. T. Smith, 12/7/1976 • C. Douglas Smith • Fred H. Borcherdt • John R. Frankenfield.

VG-10 Leonard Kusterer Benjamin H. Levin, 8/1983 • Denis W. Loring, 8/1983 • Jack H. Beymer • Jack H. Robinson • McLaughlin & Robinson #4326, 9/1987: 295 $1,193.50 • Dr. Harry Salyards.

VG-10 Purchased unattributed in 6/1977 by Steve Long • Donald H. Petersen, 10/1982 • Del Bland, 1/8/ 1983 • Jack H. Robinson • Superior Galleries 1/1989: 493 $1,155 • Larry Briggs Rare Coins.

VG-10 Sharpness of VF-25 but burnished. Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 353 $85 • Dorothy Paschal • Richard Picker, 1965 • Jackson C. Storm, 8/1/1984 • Robert E. Matthews • Superior Galleries 5/1989: 431 $1,320 • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM).

VG-10 Raymond Gallo, 10/1960 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • 1966 ANA (A. Kosoff & Numismatic Enterprises): 4 $65 .