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76
Finest Sheldon-89
65
1796 S-88 R4 Liberty Cap. PCGS graded VF-30.
Slightly
glossy dark steel and olive brown. The planchet is covered with
uniform extremely faint roughness that dulls the natural gloss a
bit, but not enough to cause a “no-grade” assessment by PCGS.
No verdigris and only a few microscopic marks, including a
couple faint hairlines on the neck and a thin diagonal nick in the
field under the cap. Nicely struck EDS, Breen state I. The
obverse die is uncracked and ONE CENT is fully struck
up (which is unusual for this variety). Graded VF30
net VF20 by Noyes, his photo #62628.
Our grade is
VF25+ sharpness net VF20
. The attribution and
Reynolds provenance are shown on the PCGS
Secure label.
Pop 1; 1 finer in EF45 at PCGS for
the variety
(PCGS # 35771)
Estimated Value................................... $5,000-UP
Ex the 2015 EAC Sale, 5/2/2015:57 (lot ticket includ-
ed).
66
1796 S-89 R3 Liberty Cap. PCGS graded AU-53.
Beautiful glossy
chocolate brown and steel with traces of frosty lighter steel brown in pro-
tected areas. The surfaces are satiny smooth and this cent offers superb
eye appeal in every respect. Very light wear on the devices and only a few
microscopic marks. The best identifying marks are a very tiny planchet
clip (as struck) over BE in LIBERTY and a pair of small nicks under that
B. Nicely centered and evenly struck on a choice planchet. MDS Breen
state II, with light die clashmarks on both sides. Graded VF30 Choice
and CC#1 in the Noyes census, his photo #20915. Bland says VF30 and
CC#1 among the confirmed examples in the Breen/Bland census.
Our
grade is VF30 choice
with the eye appeal of a significantly higher grade.
This cent is plated to illustrate the die variety in the 1991 Noyes book on
the Cents of 1793-1814. And it comes with a great provenance. The attri-
bution and Naftzger-Reynolds provenance are noted on the PCGS Secure
label.
Pop 1; none finer at PCGS for the variety
(PCGS # 35774)
Estimated Value........................................................................ $10,000-UP
Ex David Proskey-Henry C. Hines-Dr. William H. Sheldon 4/19/1972-R.
E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992-Eric Streiner, 1994 EAC Sale 4/23/1994:189
(Naftzger collection envelope and lot ticket included).