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112
Breen Plate Coin
111
1797 S-136 R3. PCGS graded VF-30.
Glossy medium
chocolate brown and steel. The surfaces are smooth and
attractive, nearly flawless. The only marks, and it takes a
strong glass to see them, are some faint hairlines on the
cheek and neck and a trio of small nicks over the E in
UNITED. E-MDS, Breen state II, with a clearly defined
bulge at AM but no die cracks. There is a single set of die
clashmarks on the reverse (Breen describes a minimum of
2). A nice cent.
Our grade is VF25
. The attribution and
Reynolds provenance are shown on the PCGS Secure label.
Pop 1; 4 finer at PCGS for the variety, 1 in EF45, 1 in
MS61, and 2 in MS62
(PCGS # 35939)
Estimated Value..................................................... $750-UP
Acquired from an unrecorded source at the 6/1990 Long
Beach Expo.
112
1797 S-137 R2. PCGS graded AU-53.
CAC APPROVED
. Choice glossy medium chocolate brown with frosty slightly lighter
steel brown toning in protected areas. A beautiful cent showing no marks and only very light friction on the highest points of
the devices. The only marks are a few microscopic planchet chips, as struck. MDS, Breen state III, with a fine die crack from the
dentils through the right end of the wreath ribbon ending at the adjacent A. Generous traces of fine die rust (tiny lumps on the
coin) can be found on the obverse. The repunching on the first S in STATES is still visible. This is the plate coin for the variety
in the Breen encyclopedia on the cents of 1793-1814. Graded AU50 Choice and tied for CC#1 honors in the Noyes census, his
photo #23024. Bland says AU50 and tied for CC#2 in his census.
Our grade is EF45 Choice.
Any way you look at it, this is a
very attractive cent. The attribution and Naftzger-Reynolds provenance are noted on the PCGS Secure label.
Pop 2; 1 finer in
AU55 at PCGS for the variety (PCGS # 35942)
Estimated Value...................................................................................................................................................................... $7,500-UP
Ex David Proskey-Henry C. Hines-Lillian Scheer (Hines’ housekeeper)-Homer K. Downing 1949-Dr. William H. Sheldon
4/19/1972-R. E. Naftzger, Jr.-Denis Loring-Jack H. Beymer 6/17/1975-C. Douglas Smith-Dr. Robert A. Schuman, McCawley &
Grellman Auctions/Superior 6/5/2000:160 (the lot ticket and C. D. Smith collection envelope are included).