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

2054

1794 1C Head of '94. VF25 PCGS. S-52, B-44, Low

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:3,750.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1794 1C Head of '94. VF25 PCGS. S-52, B-44, Low
<B>1794 1C Head of '94. VF25 PCGS. S-52, B-44, Low R.6.</B></I> <B>Bland Fine 12; tied for CC-5. Noyes Fine 12; CC-3. Photo #27031. Our EAC Grade Fine 12.<BR><BR>Equivalents. </B></I>Maris 6 (The Coquette); Frossard 23; Doughty 26; Hays 9; McGirk 9-B; Ross 6-D; Chapman 50; EAC 42; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1668; PCGS #901374.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Digits 1 and 7 are widely spaced. Closed Wreath, terminal leaves touch. The obverse appears on S-52. 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>Each side of this steel-brown and lighter tan cent has the usual grade-associated nicks and small scratches, and there is a tiny corrosion spot left of the date. Otherwise, the surfaces are smooth and pleasing. The right reverse rim is nearly gone, indicative of a later die state according to Breen, but we disagree. We believe the weakness is indicative of production quality.<BR><B><BR>Die State I. </B></I>An early die state with no evidence of the obverse die crack.<BR><B><BR>Appearances. </B></I>The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Noyes (2006).<BR><B><BR>Census. </B></I>Only seven examples of the S-52 die combination grade better than VG, including this coin. One of the seven is held by the ANS, leaving just six collectible examples. Finest known currently stands at VF35, and second best is called Fine 15 by Noyes, but was once graded VF25 by Sheldon.<BR><B><BR>Commentary. </B></I>Between 25 and 30 examples are known, up from just 10 coins when Sheldon compiled <I>Penny Whimsy</B></I> in the late 1950s.<BR><B><BR>Provenance. </B></I><I>Discovered in Europe; Heritage Rare Coin Galleries; Superior (2/1991), lot 669a, $7,425; Robinson S. Brown, Jr. (Superior, 1/1996), lot 75, $7,975.</B></I><BR><B><BR>Personality. Frank H. Stewart </B></I>operated the Stewart Electric Company and acquired the property of the first U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. Despite Stewart's attempts to have it preserved, the building was eventually demolished in 1911. Stewart was born about 1873 and died on October 14, 1948. He wrote a <I>History of the First United States Mint,</B></I> still an important reference, and commissioned Edwin Lamasure to prepare a painting of the buildings as they may have looked in the 1790s.<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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