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

2072

1794 1C Head of '95. MS62 Brown PCGS. S-70,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:4,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1794 1C Head of '95. MS62 Brown PCGS. S-70,
<B>1794 1C Head of '95. MS62 Brown PCGS. S-70, B-62, R.2.</B></I> <B>Bland MS60; tied for CC-1. Noyes AU55; CC-2. Photo #20782. Our EAC Grade AU55.<BR><BR>Equivalents. </B></I>Maris 36 (Plicae); Frossard 20; Doughty 56; Hays 51; McGirk 4-H; Ross 31-II; Chapman 56; EAC 60; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1669; PCGS #1365.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Head of '95; the lowest curl is small and circular. Leaf triplet at D; double leaf at OF. The obverse appears on S-69 and S-70. The reverse appears on S-70 and S-71. Lettered Edge, leaf points up.<BR><B><BR>Surfaces. </B></I>A bold impression with pleasing medium brown color and hints of olive-gold, especially on the highpoints of the devices and the borders. The surfaces have some tiny marks, mostly from the original planchet, although a few later abrasions can be seen on the neck. Both sides are nicely centered with sharp dentils.<BR><B><BR>Die State II.</B></I> The obverse has a heavy crack between TY to the forehead, extending down behind the eye to the cheek, eventually reaching the jaw. Another crack angles up to the left from the lower edge of the bust, meeting the hair at the base of the neck. We have not seen the second crack described in the literature, perhaps because it would disappear entirely with just a trace of wear.<BR><B><BR>Appearances. </B></I>The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Noyes (1991 and 2006).<BR><B><BR>Census. </B></I>Bland and Noyes both consider this coin to grade the same as the St. Oswald coin; they just disagree on the actual grade. Bland suggests MS60 and Noyes says AU55. Regardless of the grade, the next best after these is no better than AU50 and the Census drops quickly from there.<BR><B><BR>Commentary. </B></I>The April 1924 issue of <I>The Numismatist</B></I> carried the requirements of B.H. Collins for a perfect cent. Although Collins owned this specimen, even it failed to meet his exacting standards:<BR><BR>"A smooth, lustrous, round planchet. An early impression from a deeply-cut die, not cracked or worn. A ‘Dempsey' strike-bold, strong and centered, and milling geometrically even. The design, lettering, etc., both obverse and reverse (surely the former), forceful and sharp. Stars (if any) up, with center lines. Color-any fixed color, light olive preferred, though black or dark very acceptable. Red secondary, which, though beautiful, will not ‘stay put.' No imperfections or vandalism, nicks, oiling, tooling, holes, cleaning, cabinet friction, and certainly absence <I>in toto </B></I>of corrosion. In short, strictly bold, uncirculated or proof."<BR><BR>A "Dempsey strike" is an obvious reference to boxer Jack Dempsey, who held the World Heavyweight Title from 1919 until 1926.<BR><BR><B>Provenance. </B></I><I>Dr. Edward Maris (H.P. Smith, 6/1886), lot 267, $20; W.P. Titcomb; B.H. Collins (1895); Dr. Thomas Hall (9/1909); Virgil M. Brand; B.G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co., 8/1945); James Kelly; Dr. James O. Sloss (9/1958); R.E. Naftzger, Jr.; Abe Kosoff (10/1959), lot 25, $675; Louis Helfenstein (Lester Merkin, 8/1964), lot 5, $1,900; R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (2/1992); Eric Streiner (4/1992); Dr. Allen Bennett.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality. Benjamin H. Collins</B></I> (1845-1928) was an employee of the Treasury Department who resided in Washington, D.C., serving as chief of the tobacco division. Earlier, he served in the Civil War as a scout for General Sheridan. He also earned a living as a coin dealer who specialized in large cents. The finest coins he handled were retained for his personal collection that was eventually purchased by B. Max Mehl. Collins was an occasional contributor to <I>The Numismatist</B></I> and other periodicals. He was also an early proponent of coin investment who once said "Good coins increase regularly in value. It is just as profitable as town lots or diamonds."<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
Sign In to Bookmark Lot