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1818 14-Stars with Continuous Wreath Reverse. Struck

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:999.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 USD and UP
1818 14-Stars with Continuous Wreath Reverse. Struck
1818 14-Stars with Continuous Wreath Reverse. Struck "Copy" from handmade dies. Unique Altered Obverse Die Trial. Good-6. These extremely rare "cents" were struck using handmade dies that very crudely simulate the Matron Head cents of that year. The style and execution of the few examples known is similar to the famous 1848 "Small Date" cents that are included in the Newcomb book. Three examples of the 14-Star version are known to us, with the most recent appearance being the Dan Holmes example (lot 103 in our 30 May 2010 sale). The example being offered here is different is two significant respects. First, it is an obverse die trial struck over a Beaded Hair Cord large cent, 1837-1839, with undertype of the obverse of the regular large cent clearly visible on the reverse of this piece. Second, and most importantly, the 14-Star obverse die was altered to eliminate one of the stars. Rather than simply erasing one star, the "engraver" eliminated stars 11, 12, and 13 and replaced them with two large stars (actually 6-lobed fleurons) leaving a total of 13 stars (consistent with the normal Federal cents of that time). Our initial suspicion was that this must have started out as a die trial of the unaltered 14-Star obverse die and someone replaced three stars with two larger ones by moving metal on the struck piece. However, the radial die crack that extends from the rim between stars 11 & 12 to the back of the head just below the hairbun (on the normal 14-Star version) is still present on this piece, although it now passes through the lower half of star 11. If metal had been scavenged from this area the crack would have been eliminated or significantly affected. In addition the two large stars have the same "struck appearance" as all the others. Most but not all of the stars show doubling, which is normal. Glossy medium brown and chocolate. There are minor marks scattered over both sides, including many microscopic pinscratches around the date, but they are insignificant at this grade level. A most-curious piece that does little to solve the mystery of the "14-Star, Continuous Wreath Cent." Weight 157.8 grains.
Estimated Value $2,000-UP.