Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 2. Base of L is slightly low. A small die flaw joins the tops of IB. Usually identified by the clash marks described at Die states.

Reverse B. Very wide fraction. A die scratch from the left stem end joins u. This reverse was previously used in 1802 number 19.

Die states: 1. Severe obverse clash marks, off-center relative to the die, from the bottoms of MERICA near the right border and from parts of CA above Y. Double clash marks from leaves below the chin, from right stem and ribbon at the brow (giving the "unicorn" name). Reverse crack joins the tops of MERICA. Cracked from the rim through the right top of N, tops of IT, and left top of E to rim. Newcomb 3b-Cb.

II. At least eight sets of clash marks: from leaves above ribbon, behind hair, before face, and exceptionally heavily below the chin. Clash mark from N(E) below a curl. Reverse has various clash marks. The crack at NITE is heavier. A small triangular rim break appears above N(I). Newcomb 3b- Cc. On worn examples this last break may not show: specimens are often weak at the left (axial misalignment).

III. Additional obverse clash marks, including a row of blurred dentils at the left. Dies are axially misaligned: weakest at the lower left obverse and UNITED STA. Reverse has a heavy rim break on RICA. Newcomb 3b-Cd. Very rare.

Equivalents: Proskey 11. Doughty 189. McGirk 9A, 9B. Ross 11:8-K. Newcomb 3. Sheldon 245. EAC 3. Encyclopedia 1755.

Rarity 3.

Remarks: Newcomb nicknamed this the ''Unicorn variety" because of the raised area between clash marks from the ribbon and stem at center of the brow.

Struck after 1802 number 19.

The extra wide fraction is as on varieties 9 and 12; these dies may have been made around the same time.

Condition Census:

MS-61 David Proskey • Henry C. Hines, sold in 1938 "for eating money" • Carl Wurtzbach, 1938 • Charles R. Mathewson, 1945 • 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: 62 $26,400. State II. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Noyes. Reverse illustrated in Penny Whimsy.

MS-61 Purchased in the latter part of the 19th century by George L. Davis • Stack's 4/1954: 1615 $100 • Dorothy Paschal, 1972 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 362 $3,520 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/ 23/1992 • Eric Streiner. State II. Obverse illustrated in Penny Whimsy.

MS-61 With some timy planchet chips in the left obverse field. From England • Maj. Charles Cole • Rare Coin Company of America, 8/1970 • Jerry A. Bobbe • C. Douglas Smith • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • C. Douglas Smith • Jerry A. Bobbe • C. Douglas Smith • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 224 $15,950 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner • Jay Parrino (The Mint) • Bowers and Merena 8/1996: 22 $17,050 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington. State III. Reverse illustrated in Noyes.

MS-61 Col. E. H. R. Green • B. G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.), 4/26/1943 $22 • A. Kosoff • Oscar J. Pearl • Numismatic Gallery FPL, 1944: 184 $67.50 • unknown • 1946 ANA (Numismatic Gallery #38): 1441 $51 • A. Kosoff 5/1955: 1393 $67.50 • Glen Wallace • A. Kosoff • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1974: 913 $625 • Del Bland • Gordon J. Wrubel (stolen from and later sold back to Wrubel) • Jerry A. Bobbe • Dennis Peltonen • Robert F. Batchelder • Del Bland, 5/1979 • Myles Z. Gerson, 11/1981 • Del Bland, 1/1984 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 268 $5,775 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996:340 $6,600 • Wes A. Rasmussen. State I.

MS-60 Henry C. Colvin • French's #80, 10/1962: 137 as "EF" $60 • C. Douglas Smith, 3/30/1992. Eric Streiner • Superior Galleries 10/1992: 128 $6,875 • C. Douglas Smith.

MS-60 Some weak striking. Henry C. Miller. Thomas L. Elder 4/1917: 792 $40.50 • Henry Chapman. Consignment J. H. G. G. • Thomas L. Elder 2/1921: 311a $50 • Robert D. Book, 5/1930 • George H. Clapp • ANS.

AU-55 Thomas L. Elder • M. H. Bolender #154, 9/1943: 440 as fiEF" $16.50 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill. New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956. Dorothy Paschal • New Netherlands Coin Co. #50, 2/1957: 1212 $220 • Allen E. McDowell.

AU-50 Virgil M. Brand • Barney Bluestone, 1/1938 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State II.

AU-50 Robert F. Batchelder • Roy Rauch.

AU-50 Dean Johnson MBS 8/1971 • Richard Winterhalder.

AU-50 Bradbury K. Thurlow • Mayflower Coin Auctions 12/1967: 260 $140 • Richard Saslow • Rare Coin Company of America 1/1969: 128 $60.