Lot 43
1797 S-120a R3 Reverse of 1796, Plain Edge. PCGS graded MS-65 Brown. Choice lustrous medium brown blending to slightly darker steel brown on the highpoints of the devices. Satiny mint frost covers both sides of this cent and the eye appeal is fabulous. The only marks are a pair of thin nick-like planchet chips on the face, a very subtle puff of slightly darker toning in the field above the bust, and a spot of darker brown toning over the left wreath stem. E-MDS, Breen state II, with traces of fine die rust on the profile under the nose and lower lip with more along the lower edge of the hair ribbon. The fields on the obverse are very slightly prooflike and multiple sets of fine die clashmarks are visible on both sides. Struck very slightly off center to K-8 leaving some of the dentils off the planchet. The obverse of this cent is plated in Penny Whimsy, and both sides are plated in the 1991 Noyes reference. Graded MS63 Choice and finest known in the Noyes census, his photo #20327. Bland also says MS63 and finest known. In fact this is the only mint state example known of the variety, and it is the finest 1797 Reverse of 1796 Plain Edge by a wide margin, regardless of the die variety. A must-have cent for the finest registry collection. Our grade is MS63+ Choice. Comes with a great provenance, as you would expect. The attribution and Doug Bird Collection provenance are noted on the PCGS label. PCGS population 1; the only piece graded MS at PCGS. (PCGS # 35894) Value $70,000 - UP
Ex David Proskey-Henry C. Hines-Dr. William H. Sheldon 4/19/1972-R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992-Eric Streiner-Jay Parrino (The Mint)-Douglas F. Bird Collection (includes the Naftzger collection envelope).
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| Realized $87,000 |
