Lot 495
1831 Coronet Head Cent. NGC graded Proof 64 BN. Pop 3; 2 in Pf-65BN. Well struck. Nice shades of light Brown to gold toning. N-3, R.1. Brown and mint steel blue iridescence with rounded stars and moderately rounded date and lettering. The tops of the leaves and hair curls are lighter tan to golden brown against the deeper aspects of the glossy fields on both sides. The fields show evidence of having been struck from a polished die, but the resulting reflectivity is not comparable to later, mass produced Proofs of the 1850s and beyond, of course. Whether early Proofs were struck more than once by the dies, or struck on special equipment and not the everyday presses, is left to question. But without a doubt, this is a very rare item for the specialist to consider.
The Breen proof book (1977) lists 12 proofs from 1831 with "others reported." All are from the N-3 dies, as is this coin. His book has a photograph of the French-Clarke specimen. It, too, is incompletely struck on the peripheral stars but it appears the fields are bright and reflective.
Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000.
Ex: French 503 Sale; T. James Clarke; Ted Naftzger; NERCA 11/79 lot 38; EAC '89 lot 321; D. Loring; E. Streiner.
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