Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

Obverse 2. LE. LE. C. UE. Broad coarse dentils, as preceding, but not an overdate. Land yare low. I, base of R, and left upright of T are repunched, I is high and leans right. Lock before the ear curves to the left and ends in a point. See Die states.

Reverse B. NR. R. NC NC Inner top serif of N(T) shows repunching, See Remarks. Die states: 1. Perfect dies. Extremely rare. Smith (1985) state 1.

II. Crack, through bases of 10 (later, of 1810) and all stars at the right. Fainter crack joins stars 2 and 3. At least three sets of clash marks on both sides. Dentils are still strong.

III. Strong clash marks right of (N)E and (N)T, which later fade. Traces of RT show below (N)T (obscured on worn examples). Later with flowlines from stars and letters to the border with dentils blurred. Smith (1985) state 2.

IV. Rim break above RI.

Equivalents: McGirk 3B. Clapp 5. Sheldon 285. EAC 2. Encyclopedia 1777.

Rarity 3.

Remarks: Doughty and McGirk both confused this with number 5. The wonder is that neither noticed the border dentils, which are completely different.

On heavier strikes, the leaf point below F is between left side of the upright and center. On weaker strikes, it is below left side of the upright, and the leaf point at c(A) is at or minutely left below the inner curve.

The ANS has a state II example, ex Jones, with a double profile. A state III example has a double profile from base of neck to top of forehead.'

Normally dark. Mint State specimens (mostly red and slightly prooflike) are from a tiny hoard discovered early in this century.

For the later history of this obverse die, see "Restrike" after number 5.

Condition Census:

MS-65 Allison W. Jackman • Henry Chapman 6/1918: 729 $77.50 • Hillyer Ryder, 5/1945 • Wayte Raymond • New Netherlands Coin Co. #41, 9/1953: 311 $115 • Harold Bareford, 9/13/1985 • Herman Halpem, 12/11/1986 • R E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner • Jay Parrino (The Mint) • John F. E. Carroll. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.

MS-63 Charles J. Dupont • Stack's 9/1954: 507 $200 • Gene Reale • Sotbeby's (New York) #7083, 1/1998: 48 $17,600.

MS-63 Richard B. Winsor • S. H. & H. Chapman 121 1895: 892 $18 • Virgil M. Brand • Dr. James O. Sloss, 9/ 1958 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • A. Kosoff 10/1959: 111 $675 • Stack's • Dorothy Nelson • Stack's 2/1976: 81 $3,750 • Douglas M. McHenry • Superior Galleries 9/1986: 421 $11,550 • Dr. Haig Koshkarian,

MS-63 Thomas E. Werner • Garry Fitzgerald • Lester Merkin.

MS-63 Henry C. Hines. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.

MS-61 Howard R. Newcomb • J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/1945; 477 $40 • Judge Thomas L. Gaskill • New Netherlands Coin Co., privately 11/1956 Dorothy Paschal • Gordon J. Wrubel • Anthony Terranova. Jonathan's Coin, 9/1980.

MS-60 John G. Mills • S. H. & H. Chapman 4/1904: 1275 $20 • S. H. & H. Chapman • Maj. William Boerum Wetmore • S. H. & H. Chapman 6/1906: 589 $26 • Dr. Henry W. Beckwith • S. H. Chapman 4/1923: 43 $40 • S. H. Chapman. unknown • Charles J, Dupont. Stack's 9/1954: 506 $180 • Harold Bareford • Stack's 9/1978: 505 $3400• unknown • Superior Galleries 8/1991: 360 not sold • unknown • Seymour Finkelstein • Stack's 10/ 1995: 38 $11,000.

AU-55 David Proskey • Henry C. Hines • Dr. William H. Sheldon, 4/19/1972 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 12/11/ 1986 • Herman Halpern • Stack's 3/1988: 271 $5,500.

AU-55 Jonathan K. Kern • Gordon J. Wrubel • R. E. Naftzger, Jr.

AU-50 Clarence S. Bement Henry Chapman 5/1916: 325 $38 • Col. James W. Ellsworth, 3/1923 • Wayte Raymond, 12/1923 • George H. Clapp • ANS.

AU-50 Weakly struck. Stack's 9/1995: 1163 $1,870 • Herman Halpern.

AU-50 L. E Jones • Thomas L. Elder 6/1922: 645 • George H. Clapp • ANS.

AU-50 Heritage Numismatic Auctions 3/1995: 5013.

AU-50 Quality of MS-61 but brick-red spots on obverse, Harlan P. Smith • S. H. & H. Chapman 5/1906: 1115 $11.50 • Dr. Lewis H. Adler, Jr., 3/1917 • B. Max Mehl • unknown • Charles M. Williams • Numismatic Gallery #68, 11/1950: 243 as "S-283" $66 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr. • New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/1973: 600 $1,300 • Paramount International Com Corp. FPLs, 1974 • George W. "Hank" Rodgers • David Berg • Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz • unknown • 1980 ANA (Steve Ivy Numismatic Auctions): 970 as "MS-65" $8,000 • unknown • 1988 ANA (Heritage Numismatic Auctions #3): 56 as "M5-63/65" $3,850 • Robert Schick.