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Session One - Sunday, January 25, 2015 10:00 am
T
HIRD
F
INEST
1850 N-17
765
1850 N-17 R4 MS62
. Frosty steel brown with subtle
overtones of light bluish steel. Generous traces of faded
mint red remain visible, mostly on the obverse. Satiny mint
luster covers the planchet and the eye appeal of this cent is
very nice. It would be choice except for a small patch of
shallow corrosion at the dentils under star 1. MDS, die state
b. A delicate die crack on the rim outlines with a rim cud is
about to form from star 6 to star 8. A sharp, attractive
example of a tough variety in a neat die state. CC#3 behind
two marginally finer examples, and only 5 are known in
mint state.
Removed from an old PCGS green-label
slab graded MS64BN
(PCGS label #1889.64/9215360
included).
Estimated Value ................................................. $650-UP
Ex J. R. Grellman 1/6/1990-Wes Rasmussen, McCawley &
Grellman Auctions/Superior 2/8/1998:307-R. S. Brown, Jr.,
McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Superior 6/2/2002:828-Daniel
W. Holmes, Jr., McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Goldbergs 1/
30/2011:409 (all 3 lot tickets and the collection envelopes for
Rasmussen, Brown, and Holmes are included)
.
E
XTREMELY
R
ARE
T
ERMINAL
1850 N-17
766
1850 N-17 R4 VF30
. Sharpness AU50 but covered with
fine roughness, strongest on the upper part of the reverse.
Traces of shallow verdigris can be found in protected areas
on both sides and the only contact marks is a dull, light
diagonal nick on the cheek. Rather glossy dark reddish
chocolate brown and steel. Looks nicer than it may sound.
Sharply struck TDS, die state c. Tied for the finest of only 3
known with a rim cud at the top of the obverse. This is one
of the largest, strongest rim cud breaks known for any late
state large cent. A prize for the collector of die states or rim
cuds. Removed from an NCS/NGC slab graded AU Details,
Corroded (NCS label #5077456-036 included, and it shows
the attribution and Reiver provenance).
Estimated Value ................................................. $650-UP
Ex George Ramont 7/15/1970-Jules Reiver, Heritage 1/24/
2006:20442-Daniel W. Holmes, Jr., McCawley & Grellman
Auctions/Goldbergs 1/30/2011:410-Doug Durasoff (the
Reiver and Holmes collection envelopes are included
.
767
1850 N-19 R1 AU58
. Lustrous light steel and sea-green
trending to light bluish steel on the reverse. The notable marks
are a nick on the rim under the 1 and a speck of carbon on the
rim over the E in AMERICA. Just the slightest touch of friction
on the highest points from mint state. Sharply struck EDS, die
state a. The top of a stray 1 shows clearly between the 1 & 8
and the obverse fields show myriad fine die finishing lines. A
neat die state.
Estimated Value .......................................................$200-UP
Ex Chris McCawley 8/1995-R. S. Brown, Jr., McCawley & Grell-
man Auctions/Superior 6/2/2002:832-Evan Kopald, 2003 EAC
Sale, McCawley & Grellman Auctions 4/26/2003:754-Fred Iskra
1/2005-Doug Durasoff (the Brown and EAC lot tickets are
included)
.
F
INEST
E
ARLY
S
TATE
1850 N-21
768
1850 N-21 R1 PCGS graded MS64+ Red
. Lustrous
mint red just starting to mellow on the highest points with
about 98% of the mint color remaining. A beautiful cent
with only a few trivial defects. The best identifying marks
are a bit of darker toning covering star 9, a spot of darker
toning on the rim under the 85, and another spot at the
dentils tips over the O in OF. Unfortunately a tiny piece of
debris is caught between the back edge of the ear and the
slab and this should be removed. Rare E-MDS, die state a.
The die lines from the dentils left of star 2 are dull but still
visible and the usually seen cud breaks on the reverse have
not formed.
Our grade is consistent with the slab
grade, very close to gem MS65.
Finest known of die
state a in the Grellman census.
Estimated Value .............................................. $1,500-UP
