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

2051

1794 1C Head of '94. AU58 PCGS. S-49, B-41, R.2

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1794 1C Head of '94. AU58 PCGS. S-49, B-41, R.2
<B>1794 1C Head of '94. AU58 PCGS. S-49, B-41, R.2.</B></I> <B>Bland AU50; CC-2. Noyes AU50; CC-2. Photo #21003. Our EAC Grade AU50.<BR><BR>Equivalents. </B></I>Maris 5 (Young Head); Frossard 4; Doughty 23; Hays 7; McGirk 9-A; Ross 5-D; Chapman 31; EAC 39; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1668; PCGS #901374.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Back of the bust is short, doubled dentil left of 1. Closed Wreath, terminal leaves touch. The obverse appears on S-47, S-48, S-49, and NC-9. The reverse appears on S-49, S-50, S-51, S-52, S-53, and S-54. Lettered Edge, leaf points up.<BR><B><BR>Surfaces. </B></I>A glossy mahogany cent with excellent details and eye appeal. The well-centered strike is sharp, although the reverse border is absent in places. A few inconsequential marks are visible with a magnifier. Like so many others in the Husak Collection, most of the surface flaws are from the original flan before the coin was struck. This is a lovely piece that exhibits considerable aesthetic appeal.<BR><B><BR>Die State III.</B></I> The obverse has a prominent die crack from the upper border, vertically through the upright of E and well into the hair, eventually disappearing within the hair left of the ear. A faint die bulge can be seen from the nose to the right border below the Y. Light clash marks are visible on each side.<BR><B><BR>Appearances. </B></I>The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Boka and Noyes (2006). The obverse is illustrated in Elder-Gilbert.<BR><B><BR>Census. </B></I>This piece is second best, behind a Mint State example from the St. Oswald sale. These two pieces are followed by an example in the ANS.<BR><B><BR>Commentary. </B></I>This is the first use of the famous Closed Wreath reverse die that outlasted six different obverse dies. Even in its final use with S-54, there are no apparent die cracks.<BR><B><BR>Provenance. </B></I><I>Ebenezer Gilbert (Thomas Elder, 10/1910), lot 7, $24.50; Dr. George French (B. Max Mehl, 1929 FPL), lot 27, $150; T. James Clarke (1944); B. Max Mehl; Dr. William H. Sheldon (4/1972); R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (Early American Coppers, 5/1990), lot 23, $13,000; Dr. Allen Bennett (1/1998).</B></I><BR><B><BR>Personality. Ebenezer Gilbert</B></I> (1835-1922) was an avid collector and researcher with an interest in all copper coins. He wrote <I>Varieties of the United States Cents of 1796</B></I> with Thomas Elder, and also wrote a variety reference on half cents that was the standard for the field until Roger Cohen's work came out in 1971. The Gilbert Collection was sold by Thomas Elder in October 1910.<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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