LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 February Long Beach Signature Coin #460  / 

2043

1794 1C Head of '94. AU53 PCGS. S-41, B-30, R.3.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:4,250.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1794 1C Head of '94. AU53 PCGS. S-41, B-30, R.3.
<B>1794 1C Head of '94. AU53 PCGS. S-41, B-30, R.3. </B></I> <B>Bland XF40; tied for CC-2. Noyes XF40; tied for CC-3. Photo #21226. Our EAC Grade VF35.<BR><BR>Equivalents. </B></I>Maris 14 (Abrupt Hair); Frossard 24; Doughty 34; Hays 19; McGirk 6-C; Ross 13-L; Chapman 9; EAC 29; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1668; PCGS #901374.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Hair locks above and below pole terminate abruptly. Triangular notch in left ribbon just below stem. The obverse appears on S-41 and S-42. The reverse appears on S-41. Lettered Edge, leaf points up.<BR><B><BR>Surfaces. </B></I>The dark steel surfaces are a bit reflective, in this case the result of light cleaning. Both sides have the usual small handling marks expected on a lightly circulated cent of this era. All of these tiny marks are fully blended with the surrounding surface color, indicating that none are of recent origin.<BR><B><BR>Die State IX.</B></I> The terminal die state for the variety. The obverse has a faint crack from the bridge of the nose toward the right obverse border, as well as light clash marks. The reverse die is shattered and bulged as illustrated.<BR><B><BR>Appearances. </B></I>The reverse is illustrated in Noyes (1991). The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Noyes (2006).<BR><B><BR>Census. </B></I>Although considered moderately scarce at best, this variety is generally only seen in lower grades. Just one piece is known in Mint State, in the ANS Collection. This coin and the John Adams specimen are next in line, representing the finest examples actually available to collectors.<BR><B><BR>Commentary. </B></I>In his <I>Large Cent Encyclopedia,</B></I> Breen blamed the reverse die cracks on vertical or axial misalignment of the dies. He explains the concept on page 839: "Axial [vertical] misalignment is rarer [than horizontal misalignment] for obvious reasons: the die faces are not in parallel planes, so that the striking force goes obliquely through the misaligned die, weakening the area which comes closest to the other die face, contributing to early breakage and discard. Often the pressman noticed the misalignment early and corrected it. Usually, the more obvious the misalignment, the rarer the die state."<BR><BR><B>Provenance. </B></I><I>Dixie Land Collection; Geoffrey Charlton Adams (11/1906), lot 915, $15; David Proskey; later, New Netherlands (9/1953), lot 236, $52.50; Dorothy Paschal; Dr. William H. Sheldon; Dorothy Paschal (6/1977); R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (2/1992); Eric Streiner (4/1993); Dr. Thomas Turissini.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality. Geoffrey Charlton Adams</B></I> was a New York City auctioneer who conducted 30 auctions during a short period from May 1903 until November 1906. In October 1906, Adams was expelled from the ANA. The 1930 Federal Census records a Geoffrey C. Adams living at a New Orleans guest house. The record indicates a birth circa 1865 in Kentucky. While we cannot be sure this is the same Geoffrey Adams, it seems likely.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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