Lot 47
1797 C-3c Low Head with Gripped Edge R7 PCGS "Genuine" Fine Details, Damage or Tooling. Struck over a Spoiled Large Cent. Sharpness near Fine-12 but there are some small digs at IB in LIBERTY and around T in CENT, plus a shallow rim nick at D-S. Somewhat glossy dark olive brown and steel with uniform microscopic roughness under the natural toning. Struck over a spoiled large cent with an arc of dentils down from the L in LIBERTY into the hair below the cap. Several leaves are visible in the field at the top of the cap, and portions of the cent wreath show on the bust and lower portion of the neck. Our grade is VG10 sharpness net VG8. Arguably the finest known of the extremely rare Gripped Edge version by a very small margin (or at least tied for that honor). Listed first in the Breen/Hanson condition census in Breen's encyclopedia. And the grip marks on the edge are stronger and more clearly defined on this example, which is a big plus. The finest example graded by PCGS is VG8 and the next best graded by PCGS is G6. The G6 coin was also part of the Missouri Cabinet. Although it had better color and surfaces than the piece offered here, it also had less detail and weaker grip marks, so it was "deaccessioned" in favor of this sharper example. The PCGS graded G6 was sold in our Davy II sale, 9/4/2011:183, where it realized $195,500 in very spirited bidding. Although there are two examples of the Gripped Edge 1797 half cent in this sale, it is still the key to completing a "Redbook" set of half cents. MDS, Manley state 2.0. The die crack from the chin is clear. Struck slightly off center to K-5.5. Plated on page 190 in the Breen encyclopedia to illustrate the variety (large photos) and again to show his die state III. Weight 85.4 grains. The attribution and Missouri Cabinet provenance are shown on the PCGS label (PCGS # 35116) .
Estimated Value $80,000-UP.
Ex Jon G. Hanson, who discovered it unattributed at a White Plains, New York, coin show in early 1967-R. Tettenhorst-Missouri Cabinet (Mocab 97.3c.2).
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| Realized $103,500 |
