375

***Auction Highlight*** 1797 Plain Edge C-2, B-2c Talbot Overstrike Liberty Cap half cent 1/2c Grade

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:2,250.00 - 9,000.00 USD
***Auction Highlight*** 1797 Plain Edge C-2, B-2c Talbot Overstrike Liberty Cap half cent 1/2c Grade
***Auction Highlight*** 1797 Plain Edge C-2, B-2c Talbot Overstrike Less than 15 known Likely the strongest Example In Existence Liberty Cap half cent 1/2c Graded vf, very fine By USCG. Up for auction is an Incredible find. It is a 1797 Rare Half Cent, of which approximately 500 examples of all types have survived. Of these 500, approximately 200, are the plain edge variety. Quoting from Walter Breen “The known population for the 1797 Liberty Cap Half Cent, W-2 (plain edge) is split into three groups, including those on thin planchets with some 250 to 400 pieces known; thick planchets with no trace of an under type enjoying some 50 to 75 pieces extant; and the rarest of the three, thick planchets with traces of a cent under type, of which perhaps just eight to 12 coins are known. Up for auction is one of these 8-12 pieces. Additionally, I have researched this thoroughly, and it is the Talbot Allum cent that was cut down in which the coin was struck over. I have looked at every known example that has come to auction in the last 20 years, and none that I saw has any obvious remnant showing of the old cent. Many had trace elements that can be through careful analysis determined to be struck over, but none were obvious. I also found that the more elements of the original coin showing the higher the auction results. Coins that even had a trace obvious element of the old coin went up not hundreds but thousands. Well, Sandi and I were blown away with this coin at hand. On the reverse, you can clearly see, without aid of any magnification, the large clear letters ALLUM. On the obverse are the fragments of design elements that the other examples determined to be on a Talbot Allum, but none are clear, and would require significant investigation and supposition. But no one can mistake the BOLD and Clear “ALLUM” on the reverse. Incredible piece of American and numismatic history. Finally, the new owner of this magnificent piece of history will probably enjoy the back story, so since I found it, I’ll offer it now :In 1794 William Talbot, William Allum, and James Lee, joined into a partnership to open an East India trading company located at 241 Water Street in New York City. They commissioned and created the first American merchant token produced on a large scale. In fact, so many were produced, the company had more than they could accommodate. On April 23, 1795, William Talbot sold the Philadelphia mint 1,076 pounds of the tokens (about 52,000), mostly the 1795 variety. The mint, desperately seeking copper stock, used these tokens as planchets for the 1795 half cents variety without poles (which were actually minted in the spring of 1796). In 1796 Lee retired, and soon thereafter the firm dissolved. On December 10, 1796, the Philadelphia mint purchased all of the remaining stock of these tokens (1,914 pounds) from Mr. Talbot and used them as planchets for 1797 half cents. Virtually all of which had no trace of the original design remaining when the new striking was complete. A Corey's Pick, Bid to Win, Don't let it get Away, you might not find its equal Coin. I give this coin my highest recommendation