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101
Choice Mint State Double Struck 1797 Gripped Edge
96
1797 S-120b R2 Reverse of 1795, Gripped Edge. PCGS graded Mint
Error MS-64 Brown.
Beautiful lustrous light to medium steel brown faded
down from mint red with 10% of the obverse showing faded mint color
and at least 40% of the reverse displaying faded red. This is a choice cent
that offers outstanding eye appeal. The only marks, and they are insig-
nificant, are a spot of slightly darker toning low on the neck, a diagonal
hairline scratch left of the upper end of the hair ribbon, and a thin struck-
through line across the bust created by a piece of thread or fine wire that
came between the die and planchet. On top of being a fantastic example of
a Gripped Edge cent, it is also dramatically double struck. The first strike
was off center 5-10% to K-7 and the second strike was properly centered
on the planchet. Both strikes are clearly visible, including 2 partially
overlapping dates. MDS Breen state III, with a die crack through the top
of LIBERTY and crumbling along the profile of Ms Liberty. This cent is
graded MS60 net AU55 in the Noyes census and tied for finest known
honors with the ANS example (Noyes graded this cent MS65 and alone as
finest in his 1991 census), his photo #20742. Bland says MS63 and CC#1.
Our grade is MS63
. This is the only mint state example of the variety
known. The attribution, “Double Struck” error, and Naftzger-Reynolds
provenance are all noted on the PCGS Secure label.
Pop 1; the only mint
state example of the variety at PCGS.
(PCGS # 35900)
Estimated Value........................................................................... $30,000-UP
Ex Charles M. Williams, Numismatic Gallery #68, 11/14/1950:121-R. E.
Naftzger, Jr., Auction ‘81 (Paramount Rare Coin Co.) 7/24/1981:1049-R. E.
Naftzger, Jr., 11/2000 (Paramount lot ticket, photos from the 1950 Numis-
matic Gallery catalog, and Naftzger collection envelope included).