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

2152

1798 1C First Hair. VG10 PCGS. S-149, B-5, High

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:475.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1798 1C First Hair. VG10 PCGS. S-149, B-5, High
<B>1798 1C First Hair. VG10 PCGS. S-149, B-5, High R.5.</B></I> <B>Bland VG10; CC-2. Noyes VG10; CC-4. Photo #21490. Our EAC Grade VG10.<BR><BR>Equivalents.</B></I> Proskey 5; Doughty 114; McGirk 3B; Clapp 7; EAC 5; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1716; PCGS #1431.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Style I Hair. 98 widely spaced. Spine left from fraction bar. The obverse appears on S-149. The reverse appears on S-149 and S-150.<BR><B><BR>Surfaces. </B></I>Sharpness finer than the EAC grade with porous or corroded surfaces. The obverse is mostly golden-brown with some deep green corrosion. The reverse is mostly dark olive, and also has corroded surfaces. Although considerably worn, this coin exhibits an unusually strong strike, with full border details on both sides. Plain Edge.<BR><B><BR>Die State I. </B></I>Perfect dies.<BR><B><BR>Appearances. </B></I>The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Noyes (1991).<BR><B><BR>Census. </B></I>This example is tied with two others for second finest known in the Census. Until the 1997 discovery of a Fine 15 coin, this example was considered the finest known S-149 cent. Only 10 examples were known when <I>Penny Whimsy</B></I> was published in 1958, and today we are aware of about 40 examples. Although it is now graded VG10, Sheldon apparently graded the Husak piece Fine 15 in 1958, writing: "Both of the 15-coins are new discoveries since EAC, and nine [are] now known in collectors' hands." It appears that just three or four of the 26 coins recorded in the Noyes Census were known prior to publication of <I>Penny Whimsy</B></I>.<BR><BR><B>Commentary. </B></I>In 1949, Sheldon was only aware of six different examples of S-149, writing: "a famous coin, known to Doughty and much sought after." Breen suggests that McGirk was the first to realize the rarity of this die combination.<BR><BR><B>Provenance. </B></I><I>Discovered by Walter Breen (11/1953); Dr. William H. Sheldon (4/1972); R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (2/1992); Eric Streiner (12/1993); Wes Rasmussen (Heritage, 1/2005), lot 3174, $1,840.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality. Walter Breen</B></I> was probably the most active numismatic researcher during the second half of the 20th century. He was born in San Antonio on September 5, 1930 (some sources state 1928), and was abandoned, adopted, later beaten and left for dead, all before he was 18 years old. Breen met Wayte Raymond in 1950 and Raymond gave him his first numismatic position, researching the National Archives. Breen received a degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1952 and a master's from University of California, Berkeley, in 1966. He married Marian Zimmer Bradley in 1964, and they have two children. He wrote numerous articles and books, including his <I>Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins</B></I>, considered by most to be his masterwork. Due to a criminal conviction, Breen died in prison in 1993.<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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