LOT Heritage Rare Coin Galleries  /  2006 October Dallas Signature Coin Auction #428  / 

38

1800 1/2 C --Scratched--ANACS. VF20 Details. C-1, B-1,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1800 1/2 C --Scratched--ANACS. VF20 Details. C-1, B-1,
<B>1800<1/2 C>--Scratched--ANACS. VF20 Details.</B></I> C-1, B-1, R.1. Manley Die State 5.0. The latest die state. Easily overlooked on this piece are the remnants of an undertype from a previously struck coin, located near AME on the reverse. The undertype remains from a cut-down large cent, and includes the tops of NIT. An unevenly struck chocolate-brown example from the only die pair known. The moderately worn surfaces have numerous scratches on each side, particularly concentrated at the tip of the bust. Being a late die state piece, it contradicts Walter Breen's opinion that only the first 1800 half cents were struck on planchets cut down from large cents or various tokens. This is a fascinating study piece for the advanced numismatist, including the formidable challenge of attributing the undertype. This example has been studied by a number of the leading half cent specialists, including Ron Manley who wrote <I>The Half Cent Die State Book.</B></I> Manley also wrote an article about this specific piece that appeared in the January 2001 issue of <I>Penny-Wise.</B></I> Another article in the same issue was written by Ed Fuhrman, who discovered this piece.<BR> The importance of this particular piece cannot be overstated. It is the only late die state example of 1800 that exhibits large cent undertype, where previously it was believe that all late state pieces were struck on prepared Boulton planchets. It is one of few known 1800 half cents of any die state with visible large cent undertype. In fact, it is believe that less than a dozen such pieces exist. When considering this example, remember that all 1802 half cents were struck on cut-down large cents, to the best of our knowledge. It is almost certain that this piece was struck in 1802, rather than 1800 as the date suggests. The supply of prepared half cent planchets was exhausted in December 1800, and the next supply did not arrive until the end of 1803. Therefore, all half cents struck between those dates could only have been struck on cut-down cents. We believe that this piece and a few others were struck at the same time as the first 1802 half cents, those with the 1800 reverse. EAC 5.
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