Lot 204
1852 Proof Original/Breen Restrike Series VII Breen 1-D Large Berries Reverse R7+. PCGS graded Proof 65 Red. CAC Approved. Mint red just starting to mellow from its original brilliance. A beautiful Red Proof. There is a carbon spot on the left side of the I in AMERICA, some faint hairlines in the obverse fields, and a small U-shaped struck-through line in the field over the inner hair bun. The fields are highly reflective with deep, very attractive mirrors on both sides. An outstanding example of the Large Berries Reverse proof of 1852, and the Large Berries feature is noted on the PCGS label. Breen devotes several paragraphs in his book to a discussion of the "original" and what he calls "Restrike Series VII" strikes of 1852 half cents. He was unable to locate a single example of what he called the "original" small berries reverse 1852. Logic dictates that any original strikes of this date, if any were ever struck, would have used the small berries reverse. But we may never know for sure. The current census includes five examples of the large berry reverse, and one of those is damaged and in very low grade. This piece appears to be the finest of the group. Our grade is Proof-65. Weight 83.8 grains. The attribution and Missouri Cabinet provenance are shown on the PCGS label. PCGS population 1; the only example graded. (PCGS # 91319) .
Estimated Value $125,000-UP.
Ex R. C. W. Brock-Brock Estate 1892-University of Pennsylvania-Phillip H. Ward, Jr. (Philadelphia stamp dealer)-C. J. Dochkus (Philadelphia coin dealer)-Harry J. Foreman-R. L. Miles, Jr., Stack's 4/10/1969:69 ($6,000)-Hathaway and Bowers Galleries, Inc. (Terry Hathaway and Q. David Bowers)-Spink & Son, Ltd.-R. Henry Norweb Family collection (The Honorable Raymond Henry Norweb [October 1, 1983] and Emery May Holden Norweb)-Emery May Holden Norweb (March 27, 1984)-Raymond Henry Norweb, Jr., Auctions by Bowers and Merena, Inc., 10/12/1987:128-James R. McGuigan 10/1987 (as part of a multi-coin trade)-R. Tettenhorst-EPNNES-Missouri Cabinet (Mocab 52.1.1).
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| Realized $603,750 |
