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

2178

1798 1C Second Hair. AU58 Details, Corroded,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:14,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1798 1C Second Hair. AU58 Details, Corroded,
<B>1798 1C Second Hair. AU58 Details, Corroded, Cleaned, ANACS. S-175, B-36, R.3.</B></I> <B>Bland AU50; tied for CC-2. Noyes AU50; CC-3. Photo #27927. Our EAC Grade AU50.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Equivalents.</B></I> McGirk 29A; Clapp 35; EAC 36; <I>Encyclopedia </B></I>1732; PCGS #1434.<BR><BR><B>Variety. </B></I>Style II Hair. Spine at top of 1. Extended left top of E in AMERICA. The obverse appears on S-174 and S-175. The reverse appears on S-175.<BR><BR><B>Surfaces.</B></I> The obverse has a few light hairlines and a glossy appearance; however, the color appears to be natural. The reverse exhibits lighter olive with a few splashes of reddish-brown that indicate the coin has been recolored. With sharpness of nearly Mint State, this specimen still ranks among the finest examples of the variety. Plain Edge.<BR><BR><B>Die State VI. </B></I>The latest die state recorded by Breen for the variety. The obverse has minor dentil clashing. The reverse die is on the verge of breaking apart, with several die cracks, and a rim break that joins the top of U. The final reverse crack forms at the rim through C of AMERICA to the leaf below that letter.<BR><BR><B>Appearances. </B></I>The obverse and reverse are illustrated in the 1879 Frossard <I>Monograph</B></I>.<BR><BR><B>Census. </B></I>The Newcomb Collection specimen is considered the finest known by Bland and Noyes, graded AU55 and MS62 respectively. That coin is followed by two AU pieces, including this example from the Husak Collection.<BR><BR><B>Commentary. </B></I>In his 1879 <I>Monograph,</B></I> Edouard Frossard only described two varieties, a small date with the 8 touching the bust, and a large date with the 8 distant from the bust. He commented: "At least fifteen pairs of dies were used in this year, scarcely distinguishable by very slight differences in the date, wreath, etc. One of the dies used was altered from a die of previous year, probably the first alteration that occurred in the copper coinage."<BR><BR><B>Provenance. </B></I><I>George W. Merritt (Ed. Frossard, 1/1879), lot 126, $7; Thomas Warner (Chapman Brothers, 6/1884), lot 3008, $4.70; "Seymour"; later, Jess Peters; Lester Merkin (11/1968), lot 165, $325; R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (New Netherlands Coin Co., 11/1973), lot 490, $500; Robinson S. Brown, Jr. (Superior Galleries, 9/1986), lot 248, $4,180; Thomas D. Reynolds; Chris Victor-McCawley (7/2005).</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality. George Merritt</B></I> was born August 30, 1857, in New York City, the son of George Merritt, Esquire. Merritt developed an interest in numismatics at an early age, and was just 22 years old when he decided to sell his collection, having developed a stronger interest in fine art during extensive travel abroad. His collection was illustrated on eight plates of Frossard's <I>Monograph</B></I>.<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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