Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 1. Bases of DB are extremely close. Partly bald area in the hair above 1. Horizontal die defect below o.

Reverse A. Stemless wreath, double fraction bar, and part of an extra 5 below (E)S. Broken right base of all TS corrected by hand. This same die was later used on 1802 number 20.

Die states: 1. Very faint crack from curl on the neck across throat, protruding 1 millimeter into the right field. Bulges gradually develop around the crack. Traces of clash marks from OF at TY and right. Reverse has traces of blurred clash marks from dentils above MERICA and the right ribbon end. Newcomb I-A.

II. Many of the clashed dentils near RICA have been lapped off with a faint bulge in that area.

III. Narrow rim break right of TY. Parts of clash marks from RI just below the break and double clash marks from leaves below the chin. Cracked from the curve of 3 to the drapery at right. Reverse has at least four new sets of clash marks in the right wreath, plainest from bust at triple leaf, from neck right of (N)E, from profile below ICA, and from hair at the fraction. Newcomb Ib-A. See Remarks.

IV. Second rim break above TY. Newcomb lc-A.

V. Both rim breaks are much larger, that at the left touching TY, that at the right heavy and irregular. Much heavier clash marks from RIC just right of y and at least six additional sets of clash marks from leaves. Dies again are axially misaligned, weakest at the lower left obverse border and near D STA. Newcomb Id-A. For later reverse states see 1802 number 20.

Equivalents: Proskey 2. Doughty 180. McGirk 2A. Ross 2:2B. Newcomb 1. Sheldon 243. EAC 1. Encyclopedia 1751.

Rarity 2.

Remarks: A state between II and III probably exists showing severe clash marks from RICA around TY and right but without the rim breaks. The configuration of clash marks and breaks in states I, II, and III indicates that the obverse die became loose and axially misaligned, clashed against the reverse, and was promptly repositioned: a frequent occurrence in later 1802 varieties. When the dies again became axially misaligned in state V, the angle was different.

The ANS coin in a box marked "Newcomb I-A" (allegedly ex Wayte Raymond $23.75, 1/1926 to George H. Clapp) is a corroded specimen of state II. Struck before 1802 number 20.

Condition Census:

MS-63 Ira S. Reed, 9/3/1943 • Leonard M. Holland • Pennypacker Auction Centre, 5/1959 $260 • Louis Helfenstein, 2/20/1960 • C. Douglas Smith, 4/1960 • Louis Helfenstein, 3/1961 • C. Douglas Smith • Louis Helfen stein • Lester Merkin 8/1964: 30 $2,800 • Richard Picker • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

MS-63 William Van Roden • Stack's 5/1968: 236 $2,600 • Gene Reale • Sotheby's (New York) '7083, 1/1998: 37 $26,400 • Kenneth M. Goldman and Stuart A. Levine.

MS-61 With a lint mark in the right obverse field. A private collection • Thomas L. Elder 4/1920: 1356 $180 • Elmer S. Sears • Dr. Henry W. Beckwith • S. H. Chapman 4/1923: 29 $62.50 • Elmer S. Sears • Wm. Festus Morgan, privately. Howard R. Newcomb. J. C. Morgenthau & Co. '458, 2/1945: 394 $140 • A. Kosoff (Numismatic Gallery) • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill. Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/ 1992 • Eric Streiner • Jay Parrino (The Mint) • unknown • Superior Stamp & Coin 9/1997: 61 $24,200. Obverse illustrated in Newcomb.

Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

MS-61 Henry C. Miller • Thomas L. Elder 4/1917: 793 $82.50 • Virgil M. Brand • B. G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.) • James G. Macallister, 5/1942 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 • Dorothy Paschal • C. Douglas Smith • Richard Rosichan, 8/1974 • Del Bland • Jack H. Beymer.

MS-60 Purchased in the latter part of the 19th century by George L. Davis • Stack's 4/1954: 1614 $190. C. Douglas Smith • Louis Helfenstein, privately • C. Douglas Smith. State I.

AU-55 Bowers and Merena 3/1993: 33 $1,320 • Jim McGuigan. Superior Galleries 7/1993: 16 $3,740.

AU-50 From England • Auction '84 (Paramount Numismatic Services): 546 $1,595 • G, Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 266 $1,595 • Anthony Terranova • George E. Ewing, Jr. Thomas D. Reynolds.

EF-45 Sharpness of AU-55 but heavy rim nick; cleaned and recolored. John P. Young • M. H. Bolender #181, 9/1951:207 $16 • Dr. Charles A. Cass • Stack's 11/1957: 161 $160 • R. L. Miles, Jr. • Stack's 4/1969: 111 $280 • Dr. Hiram T. Ward, 1979 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 360 $742.50 • David Liljestrand (Dave's Coin & Stamp Co.).

EF-45 Purchased on 7/27/1892 from F. W. Lincoln (W. S. Lincoln & Son, London) by Benjamin H. Collins • Ed. Frossard #144, 3/1897: 652 $31 • Charles H. Deetz, 9/1926 • George H. Clapp • ANS • (no longer in ANS collection). Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

EF-45 Wayte Raymond, 1/1926 • George H. Clapp. ANS • (no longer in ANS collection).

EF-40 C. Douglas Smith • Dr. Lawrence A. Mattemes • Lester Merkin 10/1973: 328 $150.

EF-40 Henry C. Hines • Homer K. Downing • 1952 ANA (New Netherlands Coin Co. '38): 1929 $52.50 • Willard C. Blaisdell • Lillian Willins.

EF-40 Pacific Coast Auction Galleries 9/1983: 9 $742.50 • Dennis R. Heller • James Halfon.

EF-40 Sharpness of AU-50 but reverse encrustation; cleaned and recolored. Hillyer Ryder, 5/1945 • Wayte Raymond • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal • Eugene Exman • Gordon J. Wrubel, 12/30/1972 • C. Douglas Smith.

EF-40 Purchased around the time of the century by George Roebling • New Netherlands Coin Co. '59, 6/1967: 1219 $65 • Jon Hanson • Jesse Patrick • Gordon J. Wrubel • C. Douglas Smith • Dorothy Paschal • C. Douglas Smith, 3/1978 • Dr. Willard J. Carmel, Jr. • Jack H." Beymer • Dr. Harry Salyards.

EF-40 With a small planchet clip. Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz, 2/26/1983 • Jack H. Robinson • Superior Galleries 1/ 1989: 533 $742.50 • Glen R. Griffith.

EF-40 Milton A. Holmes • Stack's 10/1960: 1432 $85.