Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 2. Drastically reground to remove clash marks. The top border is weak. The regrinding necessary to remove the N (number 2, state II) below the curl has also weakened the top of the head ("top of hair unfinished"); two strands just right of the knot are isolated with a nearly bald area below and left of the ear.

Reverse C. D is high and leans right. A is above T-T. TE(S) are very close. ME are joined. The berry right of (N)T is stemless.

Die states: I. Heavy clash marks below the chin. The reverse has lighter clash marks within the wreath. Newcomb 2-B.

II. Die is further repolished with the remaining clash marks gone or blurry. The thin single strand of hair below the base of R is broken.

III. New clash marks in the usual old places. Buckling begins at RTY and end of the drapery.

Equivalents: Newcomb 2. Sheldon 244. EAC 2. Encyclopedia 1754.

High Rarity 3.

Remarks: Apparently discovered by Howard R. Newcomb.

Newcomb and Sheldon transposed this and number 2 because they believed that the earliest obverse state had the unfinished top of hair. Examination of high grade examples in 1985 revealed the true order.

Condition Census:

AU-50 Howard R. Newcomb, privately • J. S. Gensheimer • Stack's 2/1951: 405 $100 • C. Douglas Smith, 9/1959 • 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.

EF-45 Elmer S. Sears, 6/1926 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal. 11/26/1975 • C. Douglas Smith, 3/30/1992 • Eric Streiner • Superior Galleries 10/1992: 127, withdrawn and returned in 12/1993 to ANS.

EF-40 B. G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.) • Henry C. Hines • Willard C. Blaisdell, 2/1973 • Denis W. Loring, 5/1974 • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Ray Chatham. Dorothy Paschal • William R. T. Smith • Jack H. Beymer, 7/11/1981 • C. Douglas Smith • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 223 $1,375 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 267 $2,310.

VF-30 Thomas J. Wass III • N.Y. N.J. Auction Sales 3/1959: 685 $92.50 • C. Douglas Smith, 11/1982 • Fred H. Borcherdt.

VF-30 Mayflower Coin Auctions 3/1957: 229 $13 • Willard C. Blaisdell • Lillian Willins.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but microscopically rough with faint smoothing on obverse; dark olive. Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 332 $65 • James G. Macallister • Henry C. Hines • unknown • Federal Coin Exchange 5/1956: 937 • unknown • 1957 ANA (Federal Coin Exchange): 109 $135 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 560 $200 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 361 $418 • Gary Ruttenberg, 10/1/1990 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 339 $1,595 • Wes A. Rasmussen.

VF-30 Purchased unattributed in 3/1982 at the Bay State coin show by Denis W. Loring, 3/1982 • Dr. Bruce Reinoehl.

VF-30 Dr. William H. Sheldon • ANS. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

VF-30 Hillyer Ryder, 5/1945 • Wayte Raymond. New Netherlands Coin Co. #41, 9/1953: 286 $35 • Willard C. Blaisdell.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but a scratch across the face and neck. James G. Macallister • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #454, 1/1944: 440 $24 • Barney Bluestone • Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 416 $75 • "HP" • Paramount International Coin Corp. 7/1976: 22 $110.

VF-30 Tru-Value Coin Co.

VF-30 Hollinbeck Stamp and Coin Co. #109, 11/1951:1058 • Hollinbeck Stamp and Coin Co. • Hollinbeck Coin Co. #128, 8/1952: 19 • Hollinbeck Coin Co. • Hollinbeck Kagin Coin Co. #247, 2/1963: 2201.

VF-30 Christian M. Petersen • Hollinbeck Coin Co. • Hollinbeck Coin Co. #180, 5/1954: 1155.