214 / 280
212
Finest 1801 NC-4 Rarity
251
1801 NC-3 R6 Error Fraction 1/000. PCGS graded Good-6.
CAC APPROVED
.
Lightly cleaned and retoned glossy light olive brown and steel with some reddish
brown stains on both sides. The planchet is mostly smooth but there are a few small
areas of microscopic roughness on the obverse. The notable marks are a streak of
darker toning from the L to the rim left of the hair ribbon and a diagonal nick in the
field over the upper end of the hair ribbon. The date is strong and the legends are
clear except for ES-OF-A, which were weakly struck and are no longer visible. Not
perfect but the finest of the 21 examples known to us grades only VG8.
Our grade
is G6 sharpness net G5.
The attribution, 1/000 feature, and Reynolds provenance
are noted on the PCGS Secure label.
Pop 1; 1 finer in VG8 at PCGS for the variety.
Only 2 examples graded at PCGS (PCGS # 36281)
Estimated Value............................................................................................ $2,000-UP
Ex Henry T. Hettger, 2011 EAC Sale, McCawley & Grellman Auctions 5/14/2011:266-
Doug Bird-Greg Hannigan-Adam Mervis, Heritage 1/10/2014:2751.
252
1801 NC-4 R7-. PCGS graded Fine-15.
Rather glossy dark chocolate brown
and steel with slightly lighter chocolate brown toning on the highpoints.
The surfaces are decent but not perfectly smooth under magnification (but
smooth enough to avoid a “Genuine, Env. Damage” rating from PCGS). No
verdigris, only a few contact marks. The notable ones are a dull nick on the
throat and a small rim nick just right of the date. The only known die state;
both dies uncracked. The diagnostic die flaw joining the bases of the B & E in
LIBERTY is clear. This is the finest of only 11 examples known of the variety,
and it is the plate coin for the variety in the 1991 Noyes reference on the early
date large cents. Graded VF25 net VG8 and CC#1 in the Noyes census, his
photo #27439. Bland says net VG10 and CC#1 as well.
Our grade is VF20+
sharpness net F12
. Any way you look at it, this is the finest example of an
extremely rare die variety. The attribution and Reynolds provenance are noted
on the PCGS Secure label.
Pop 1; none finer at PCGS for the variety. Only 2
examples graded at PCGS
(PCGS # 36263)
Estimated Value............................................................ $8,000-UP
Ex Stephen Fischer (who discovered it unattributed on
9/13/1990 during the Suburban Washington/Baltimore
Coin Show)-Jonathan Kern and Stuart Levine-Superior
2/3/1991:730-withdrawn-Jonathan Kern and Stuart
Levine-Henry T. Hettger, 1991 EAC Sale, lot 88 (not sold)-
Henry T. Hettger-consigned for sale to Tom Reynolds but
stolen 4/25/1999 and later recovered-McCawley & Grellman
Auctions/Superior 2/18/2001:2246-Henry T. Hettger, Heri-
tage 2006 ANA Sale, lot 5039-Henry T. Hettger, 2008 EAC
Sale, McCawley & Grellman Auctions 5/10/2008:349-Adam
Mervis (via Greg Hannigan), Heritage 1/10/2014:2753 (the 1991
Superior and the 2008 EAC Sale lot tickets are included).