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

2125

1797 1C Reverse of 1797. Fine 15 PCGS. S-122,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:450.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1797 1C Reverse of 1797. Fine 15 PCGS. S-122,
<B>1797 1C Reverse of 1797. Fine 15 PCGS. S-122, B-9, High R.5.</B></I> <B>Bland Fine 12; tied for CC-2. Noyes VG10; tied for CC-4. Photo #27610. Our EAC Grade Fine 12.<BR><BR>Equivalents.</B></I> Clapp-Newcomb 4; EAC 9; <I>Encyclopedia</B></I> 1711; PCGS #1422.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Extremely close date. Five berries left and right, 1 touches left ribbon. The obverse appears on S-122, S-123, NC-2, and NC-3. The reverse appears on S-122.<BR><B><BR>Surfaces.</B></I> Both sides are lightly porous, with a few additional scratches and other blemishes. Medium steel-brown with lighter tan on the highpoints of the devices. The overall appearance is still nice, despite the surface issues.<BR><B><BR>Die State II.</B></I> The reverse is cracked through the tops of MERIC.<BR><B><BR>Appearances.</B></I> The reverse is illustrated in <I>Early American Cents, Penny Whimsy</B></I>, and Noyes (1991 and 2007).<BR><B><BR>Census.</B></I> Only 30 to 40 examples of this die combination are known, all in lower grades. In fact, the finest known grades just VF20 per Bland, or Fine 15 per Noyes. Bland calls this example from the Husak Collection tied for second finest known.<BR><B><BR>Commentary.</B></I> Breen believed that the S-122 cents may have been coined on a particular batch of planchets from Boulton that became damaged and discolored in transit. Higher grade pieces (VG to Fine in this instance) generally have full borders, ruling out the possibility that they were struck on the concave planchets from Coltman.<BR><B><BR>Provenance.</B></I> <I>Richard Picker (7/1965); C. Douglas Smith (12/1983); Jack H. Robinson (Superior, 1/1989), lot 233; John R. Frankenfield (Superior, 2/2001), lot 349; Bowers and Merena (8/2005), lot 111; Chris Victor-McCawley.</B></I><BR><B><BR>Personality.</B></I> <B>Joseph Cloud</B></I> was born in East Bradford, Pennsylvania, in 1760. On January 2, 1797, he was commissioned as melter and refiner at the Mint. Evans notes that he served in that capacity until 1836, and it is believed this was the year of his death. Federal Census records for 1800, 1820, and 1830 all record a Joseph Cloud living in the North Ward of Philadelphia. The 1840 Federal Census records no any such person, consistent with a death date of 1836.<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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