Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 3.

Reverse F. Double fraction bar, the upper one very thin. Spine from berry at E(D).

Die states: 1. Minute lump on forelock just above its junction with the brow. No reverse crack. Newcomb 4d-F.

II. Swelling begins at end of the drapery. Reverse crack from the rim through tops of MERI, at first very faint, later plain. Newcomb 4d-Fb.

III. Branch crack, from rim between ER; crack very heavy from (R)I to rim; the whole configuration is now a retained cud. Very rare.

Equivalents: McGirk 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E. Newcomb 6. Sheldon 248. EAC 6. Encyclopedia 1754.

Rarity 4.

Remarks: Discovered by Dr. Charles McGirk. Examples of state III have been seen with the retained cud both below the surface of the field and above. Apparently the two pieces were loose and about to fall out of the die.

Earlier states are usually weak at ED and OF. State III shows axial misalignment: weak areas are at the lower left obverse and STA.

A later state probably exists with a rim break on MERI.

Condition Census:

MS-63 With a line-like obverse planchet defect. From an undisclosed source in Maine to Norman W. Pullen • John G. Wood, 1982 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 366 $3,300 • Dr. Haig Koshkarian. State I.

AU-50 Sharpness of nearly Mint State but cleaned and recolored. From an old Texas collection to L. R. Davis McKinney, Jr. • House of Davis McKinney #19, 1/1963: 171 • Dorothy Paschal, 1/1963 • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner • Jack H. Beymer.

Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

AU-50 1964 ANA (Federal Brand Enterprises): 95 $450 • unknown • Hans M. F. Schulman 11/1967: 907 $550 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • Myles Z. Gerson • Del Bland. Jeffrey Oliphant.

EF-45 A. J. Brown, 8/1937 • George H. Clapp • ANS • Dr. William H. Sheldon • Dorothy Paschal. State I.

EF-40 Gary W. Wallin 1/1977: 9 • Gary W. Wallin, privately 7/1977 • Fred H. Borcherdt.

EF-40 Kurt R. Krueger, 8/8/1989 • Douglas F. Bird • Del Bland • Dr. Philip W. Ralls, 4/1992 • Robert W. Everett (Classical American Coins). Reverse illustrated in Noyes.

VF-30 Mayflower Coin Auctions 7/1962: 91 $242.50 • Frank H. Masters, Jr. • Rare Coin Company of America 5/1971: 158 $450 • C. Douglas Smith, 3/30/1992 • Eric Streiner • Superior Galleries 10/1992: 131 • Frank H. Stillinger.

VF-30 Rare Coin Company of America • Jerry A. Bobbe • William R. T. Smith • Robert Schick, 4/14/1989 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 344 $825 • Dr. Bruce Reinoehl. State I.

VF-30 Mayflower Coin Auctions 5/1973: 90 $62.50 • Denis W. Loring, 5/1974 • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • Dorothy Paschal • Jack H. Beymer • Stuart A. Hodge • Dr. Harry Salyards.

VF-30 George H. Clapp • unknown • Paramount International Coin Corp. 11/1976: 66 $140 • unknown • Jack H. Beymer, 11/8/1980 • Frank H. Stillinger. Reverse illustrated in Newcomb.

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-40 but reverse verdigris. Hollin beck Coin Co. #113, 1/1952: 910 $28.50 • C. Douglas Smith • Jack H. Beymer, 12/1982 • G. Lee Kuntz • Superior Galleries 10/1991: 272 $374 • Chris Victor-McCawley (CVM).

VF-30 Sharpness of EF-45 but most of reverse covered with fine verdigris. Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 426 $85 • Benjamin Stack (Imperial Coin Co.) • Mrs. R. Henry Norweb • Bowers and Merena 11/1988: 2817 $792.

VF-30 Rare Coin Company of America • Jerry A. Bobbe • William R. T. Smith • Robert Schick, 4/14/1989 • Robinson S. Brown, Jr. • Superior Stamp & Coin Co. 1/1996: 344 $825 • Dr. Bruce Reinoehl.

VF-30 Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945: 406 $33 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill, 11/ 1947 • Dr. William H. Sheldon.