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74
1796 S-97 R3 Draped Bust, Reverse of 1795. PCGS graded EF-45.
CAC AP-
PROVED
. Very attractive glossy medium chocolate brown with steel brown
toning on the highpoints and frosty lighter brown in protected areas on both
sides. Smooth and nearly flawless. The best identifying marks are a small swipe
of slightly darker chocolate toning in the field under the lower end of the hair
ribbon and a collection of small, light nicks in the field before the face. MDS,
Breen state III. A narrow rim cud break covers many of the dentils before the
face and there is a very light die crack through the top of TY in LIBERTY.
This is the plate coin for the variety in Dr. Sheldon’s
Early American
Cents
and
Penny Whimsy
.
Graded EF45 and CC#2 in the Noyes
census behind only the ANS example, his photo #39042. Bland
says VF30 and tied for CC#5 in the Breen/Bland census.
Our
grade is VF35 Choice.
Comes with an important provenance.
The attribution and Reynolds provenance are noted on the PCGS
Secure label.
Pop 1; none finer at PCGS for the variety (PCGS
# 35825)
Estimated Value ............................................................... $10,000-UP
Ex Dr. George P. French-B. Max Mehl 1929 FPL, lot 114-T. James Clarke
1944-B. Max Mehl 1948-Dr. William H. Sheldon-ANS Collection-transferred
from the ANS Collection to R. E. Naftzger 1/26/2001 in exchange for the original
coin donated to the ANS by George Clapp-then to Tom Reynolds in 1/2002.
75
1796 S-97 R3 Draped Bust, Reverse of 1795. PCGS graded VF-35.
Glossy medium chocolate brown and steel with a hint of reddish choco-
late brown toning in the field at the mouth. No roughness or verdigris,
only tiny contact marks. The notable marks are a tiny planchet chip on
the rim under the 6 and a dull rim nick over the left side of the M in
AMERICA. Rare LDS, Breen state V, with a bold cud break at TY in
LIBERTY. The date and legends are strong. Graded VF20 net F15 and
tied for CC#10 in the Noyes census, his photo #26848.
Our grade is
VF20 sharpness net F15+
. Comes with a nice provenance. The attribu-
tion and Holmes-Reynolds provenance are noted on the PCGS Secure
label.
Pop 2; 1 finer in EF45 at PCGS for the variety
(PCGS # 35825)
Estimated Value .........................................................................$5,000-UP
Ex George Ramont 10/5/1975-Jules Reiver, Heritage
1/24/2006:19277-Daniel W. Holmes, Jr., McCawley & Grellman Auc-
tions/Goldbergs 9/6/2009:163-Chris McCawley (via Greg Hannigan)-Ad-
am Mervis, Heritage 1/10/2014:2558 (the Holmes lot ticket and collection
envelope are included).