Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 10.

Reverse O. Large letters and fraction. Stemless berries at E(D) and right of (N)T. Diagonal die cut from the rim above upright of D into the top curve. Bases of UN are below IT, which in turn are below ED. ES are high, RI nearly touch, and I c are apart. Recutting is visible on both ribbons.

Die states: 1. Obverse reground to remove clash marks: the hair is incomplete above 1 and the shoulder loop is incomplete. New clash marks appear near the hair ribbon and right of the throat. Newcomb 11-Nb. Il, At least seven sets of new clash marks in the usual places.

III. Arc crack from the rim below 1 through the hair and ribbon to the rim. Newcomb 11b-Nb.

IV. Bulge develops behind the lowest curl, at first faint, later increasingly heavy. Reverse has additional clash marks from hair at ON CEN.

Equivalents: Proskey 15. Doughty 193. McGirk 16A-16C. Ross 15:7-N. Newcomb 16. Sheldon 258. EAC 17.

Encyclopedia 1757.

Rarity 1.

Remarks: There was apparently a small hoard of Mint State examples, mostly part to full mint red. Some of these have toned down in the ensuing century, but the variety is still quite often offered in high grades.

Condition Census:

Dozens survive in Mint State, a few of which can be called MS-63 but nothing better has been seen. Two of the best examples are:

MS-63 Auction '84 (Stack's): 1016 $5,775 • Robert L. Hughes (Metropolitan Rare Coin Galleries) • Heritage Numismatic Auctions #2, 6/1987: 21 $5,940 • Robert L. Hughes (Metropolitan Rare Coin Galleries) • Superior Galleries 1/1988: 71 $4,620 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 283 $7,700 • Tom Morley • Superior Galleries 5/1992: 282 $8,800 • Allan Kollar.

MS-63 W. H. Spedding • S. H. & H. Chapman 12/1894: 810 $13.50 • George H. Earle, Jr. • Henry Chapman 6/ 1912: 3428 $7.50 • Henry Chapman • Henry Chapman 6/1914: 1817 $7.25 • unknown • Milton A. Holmes • Stack's 10/1960: 1442 $170 • Louis Helfenstein s Lester Merkin 8/1964: 36 $800 • Charles "Shotgun" Slade III 12/1964: 77 • unknown • Quality Sales Corp. 11/1970: 93 $975 • unknown • Quality Sales Corp. 9/1971: 37 $1,135 • Abner Kreisberg and Jerry Cohen • George W. "Hank" Rodgers • Ed Hipps (Ed's Coin & Stamp Shop) • Bruce Stowe.