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880

1895-O 10C --Obverse Die Cap--MS64 PCGS. The 1895-O is

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:24,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 2.00 USD
1895-O 10C --Obverse Die Cap--MS64 PCGS. The 1895-O is
<B>1895-O 10C --Obverse Die Cap--MS64 PCGS.</B></I> The 1895-O is the lowest mintage issue in the entire Barber dime series, except for the essentially uncollectible 1894-S. Because of its early date and its stingy production run, the 1895-O is rare in Mint State, and only a few dozen pieces are certified as such. But it is certain that no other Uncirculated 1895-O resembles the present piece. After its initial and normal strike, the piece stuck to the obverse die. The press continued to operate, and planchets were fed in one after another, with each piece struck between the reverse die and the present die cap. Heaven knows where these brockages are today, but none can be identified as an 1895-O, because the obverse design was blocked by the die cap. The additional strikes this die cap received caused the obverse to wrap around the die. The portrait is razor-sharp, while the denticles are transformed into a blurry series of lines. The reverse design is spread but remains clear, and this includes the all-important New Orleans mintmark. The cap is several millimeters high, and if it were any higher, it would not fit within the standard PCGS holder. The piece is evenly toned in dappled sea-green, plum-mauve, and golden-brown shades. Faint clash marks appear near Liberty's chin, but there are no post-strike abrasions, and in fact one wonders why the piece failed to receive an even finer grade. Fortunately for posterity, the press operator took the time to carefully remove the die cap, and its succession of owners gave equal care to its storage and handling. Any undamaged Barber dime cap in Mint State would be a major error find, and nearly impossible to duplicate. But for an essentially pristine die cap to exist on an 1895-O is a remarkable occurrence, and will surely be the talk of the Barber collector community during the FUN convention.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coin/Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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