Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 4. In the date 8 is distant from 1, low, and leans sharply to the right. L is low and IB nearly touch.

Reverse B. Incomplete ribbon bows.

Die states: 1. Obverse has blurred double clash marks.

Reverse as number 5, state 1. The F AMER crack is shorter and fainter. No crumbling is visible on N(T). Dies misaligned with the weak areas at end of the drapery and OF (corrected in later states). Rare. Clapp called it "Newcomb 4-Bb."

II. Faint crack joins tops of LI. later us. Reverse as number 5, state II: the crack extends through F AMERIC. "Newcomb 4-Bc." Rare.

III. Obverse arc crack from the rim above B through E, bases of RT, up through Y, to the rim. Newcomb 4b-Bc.

IV. Third set of clash marks, heavier than previous sets, plainest from leaves before the neck and from ribbon end at RT. Rust pits develop on the bust and neck. Reverse has double clash marks from drapery near S OF.

V. Second crack from the rim between BE to the left top of R. Rust pits are larger, especially one on the bust above the drapery near the neck. Reverse has a faint crack through TES. Newcomb 4c-Be.

VI. Reverse rim broken over TE.

VII. "Retained cud" rim break beginning at rim to tops of AMB. Discovered by Bill Tivol in 1988 and reported by Harry Salyards. (Penny-Wise, no. 129, 11/15/1988, p. 353.)

VIII. Full rim break at AME, developed from the retained cud of the previous die state. The only example so identified is in the John D. Wright collection.

Equivalents: Newcomb 5. Sheldon 229. EAC 6. Encyclopedia 1750.

Low Rarity 3.

Remarks: States I and II were struck before the last of number 5. States IV through VII were struck after number 7. Probably discovered by Newcomb.

Condition Census:

MS-61 Thomas L. Elder 6/1935: 2445 $22 • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner, 3/30/1992 • C. Douglas Smith.

State III. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

MS-61 Richard B. Wmsor • S. H. & H. Chapman 12/1895: 878 $13 • Arba Borden • John G. Mills • S. H. & H. Chapman 4/1904: 1261 $10 • S. H. & H. Chapman • unknown • James G. Macallister • J. c. Morgenthau & Co. #454, 1/1944: 432 $51 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State V. Obverse and reverse (shown twice) illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

MS-61 Copley Coin Co., circa 1952 • C. Douglas Smith, 10/1954 • Louis Helfenstein - Lester Merkin 8/1964: 26 $1,600 • C. Douglas Smith, 3/30/1992 • Eric Streiner • Superior Galleries 10/1992: 108 $8,250.

EF-45 With some blunt striking on lower obverse and upper reverse. A. H. Baldwin & Sons, Ltd. (London) • New Netherlands Coin Co. #50, 12/1957: 1184 $82.50 • C. Douglas Smith, 3/30/1992 • Eric Streiner • Superior Galleries 10/1992: 109 $1,155 • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM) • Rick Fitzgerald • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington.

EF-40 Sharpness nearly AU-50 but minute nicks through legend. Mid-American Rare Coin Auctions 8/1987: 35 $375 • Rich Kosta, 9/24/1987 • David C. Stagg III • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz, 12/13/1987 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Early American Coppers 4/1989: 128 $2,200 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 322 $1,650 • Jack H. Beymer. State IV.

VF-35 With blunt striking on end of the bust. Dolloff Stamp and Coin Center • Jay McCulloh • Lillian Willins • Douglas F. Bird • Stuart "Mac" MacDonald • Heritage Numismatic Auctions 9/1997: 5154 $1,035 • Thomas D. Reynolds.

VF-35 Sharpness of EF-45 but a couple nicks and edge dents. S. W. Freeman • Abner Kreisberg and Hans M. F. Schulman 5/1958: 1147 $190 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 12/11/ 1986 • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 205 $880 • Jeffrey Oliphant.

VF-35 Donald Ballou, 3/2/1968 • C. Douglas Smith, 12/1981 • Fred H. Borcherdt.

VF-35 Charles E. Clapp, Sr., 7/1924 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State IV. Reverse illustrated in Newcomb.

VF-35 Mike Powell, 8/1988 • Ed Hipps (Ed Hipps Gallery) • Thomas D. Reynolds.

VF-30 Blaise J. Dantone • Lester Merkin 3/1969: 663 $52.50 • Jackson C. Storm, 8/1/1984 • Robert E. Matthews • Superior Galleries 5/1989: 411 $1,540 • Gary Ruttenberg • M & G Auctions 8/1996: 217 $715.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but some old corrosion. Dr. George P. French, privately • Carl Wurtzbach • Howard R. Newcomb, privately • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 11/1947 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 • Dorothy Paschal.

VF-30 Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon. C. Douglas Smith • Ellen Enzler • Numismatic and Antiquarian Service Corporation of America 12/1978: 2635 not sold • Ellen Enzler • Joseph Lepczyk #56, 3/1984: 15 not sold • Ellen Enzler • Downie-Lepczyk Auctions, Ltd. #69, 8/1986: 1393 not sold • Ellen Enzler • Superior Galleries 1/1990: 429 $1,100 • Wes A. Rasmussen. Obverse illustrated in Newcomb.

VF-30 Dr. Adelaide H. Curtis • French's #69, 2/1959: 1375 $21 • Dr. Kenneth J. Sartoris, 5/1972 • Del Bland. C. Douglas Smith.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-45 but minute defects and scratches. Stan Oliver • Lillian Willins • Early American Coppers 5/1981: 387 $380 • John M. Ward, Jr.

VF-30 Gordon J. Wrubel, 4/1981.

VF-30 Sharpness of AU-55 but specks of light erosion. Walter F. Webb 11/1947: 952 • Lewis O. Goodman. New Netherlands Coin Co. 9/1967: 67 $90 • Philip Van Cleave • Kagin's Numismatic Auctions #340, 1/1986: 5254 $220 • John R. Frankenfield.

VF-30 William R. T. Smith, 10/1/1974 • Douglas F. Bird • Jack H. Robinson • Superior Galleries 1/1989: 498 $1,320 • Dr. Ralph W. Rucker. State III.

VF-30 Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon. C. Douglas Smith, 4/8/1952 • Dr. Charles L. Ruby, 12/1972 • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. • Superior Galleries 2/1974: 578 $170 • Allen F. Lovejoy. Stack's 10/1982: 640 $500 • Richard Feingold.

VF-30 An old-time collection • Bowers and Merena 6/1991: 616 $605.

VF-30 Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 344 $10.50 • Henry Grunthal • Homer K. Downing • 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. #38): 1901 $16 • C. Douglas Smith.

VF-30 Homer K. Downing, 11/20/1945. Willard C. Blaisdell.