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

2083

1796 1C Liberty Cap. XF45 PCGS. S-82, B-3, R.5

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:2,400.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1796 1C Liberty Cap. XF45 PCGS. S-82, B-3, R.5
<B>1796 1C Liberty Cap. XF45 PCGS. S-82, B-3, R.5.</B></I> <B>Bland VF30; CC-5. Noyes Fine 12; tied for CC-10. Photo #28716. Our EAC Grade VF20.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Equivalents.</B></I> Proskey 2; Doughty 72; Gilbert B; McGirk 2A; Ross 1B; Clapp-Newcomb B; EAC 3; <I>Encyclopedia</B></I> 1683; PCGS #1392.<BR><BR><B>Variety. </B></I>Curved date touching hair and nearly touching bust. Leaf touches left base of F. The obverse appears on S-81 and S-82. The reverse appears on S-82, S-83, and S-84. Plain Edge.<BR><BR><B>Surfaces. </B></I>Deep steel with a greenish tint, caused by minor corrosion and slight verdigris, with splashes of lighter reddish-brown on each side. Original flan marks remain, especially in the region of CENT. The obverse has a few fine scratches, blended with the surrounding surface and nearly invisible.<BR><BR><B>Die State II.</B></I> It appears that this is a late die state example, although the overall surface quality prevents a detailed analysis.<BR><BR><B>Appearances.</B></I> The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Noyes (2007).<BR><BR><B>Census.</B></I> Noyes was particularly tough when he graded this cent, yet as Fine 12 it still ranks in the top 10 for the variety. Similarly, Bland was a tad liberal, based on our grade interpretation. Using our grade of VF20, this example would be tied for eighth in Bland's Census. We are comfortable suggesting it is one of the 10 best of a total population of 75 to 80 coins. The census data clearly establishes S-82 as a condition rarity in the early cent arena.<BR><BR><B>Commentary.</B></I> Sheldon based his emission sequence for the 1796 Liberty Cap and Draped Bust varieties on "an uninterrupted progression of obverses and as nearly as possible in an accompanying uninterrupted progression of reverses. As has been the case with the other dates, the list starts with what seem to be the earliest varieties, most closely resembling the preceding date, and closes with varieties most nearly resembling the succeeding date." <BR><BR><B>Provenance.</B></I> <I>James F. Ruddy; Dr. Dane B. Nielsen; Dr. C.R. Chambers; Jack H. Robinson (Superior, 1/1989), lot 150, $2,310; Robinson S. Brown, Jr. (Superior, 1/1996), lot 117, $3,300.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality.</B></I> <B>James F. Ruddy</B></I> was born on March 31, 1933, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He attended the State University of New York from 1950 to 1953. He began collecting coins in 1953 and his career as a coin dealer started the following year. He became acquainted with Q. David Bowers a short time later, and the two entered a partnership in 1957. Ruddy was the author of <I>Photograde</B></I> in 1970. He served as PNG secretary from 1960 to 1964 and received the organization's Distinguished Service Award. In 1990 he received the PNG Founder's Award. He has also served as a board member and vice president of the Manuscript Society. In the early 1980s, he bought a long-closed general store, complete with inventory, had it shipped to Palm Springs, and operates the General Store Museum, which he donated to the city in 1987.<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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