Lot 1912
1795 Liberty Cap Half Cent. Plain edge, no pole. NGC graded MS-63 Double Struck/Rotated In Collar/Mint Error. Brown. An extraordinary Mint error, this coin was struck first normally, then rotated in the collar about 20 degrees to the right and was restruck. The second strike obliterated most of the first strike, but you can see all 4 digits of the date, 3 are left of the 1, and the first 5 just touches the 7, and we see the outline of Liberty's cap between LI and curiously the tip of her nose lies right at the base of her chin on the second strike! Similar on the reverse, with the rotation the same 20 degrees or so, with the fraction well to the right of the second strike fraction, and the 200 is plainly visible, as are most of the peripheral letters. Even CENT can be seen under the second strike at the center. As to the color, this one is a rich chocolate brown with a slightly darker area quadrant from the back of Liberty's head through her cap and behind her lower curls, and this slightly darker color continues on the reverse in the same location, for approximately one-third of the coin. It is likely that this coin was struck from a rolled out Talbot, Allum and Lee cent, but we could find no trace of undertype, as discussed in the reference by Ronald P. Manley. Curiously, we could also find no report of this coin in Breen's Half Cent Encyclopedia or in the Cohen variety book either, perhaps this coin has been tucked away for the last several generations and not many collectors have even heard about it. This would be remarkable given what a spectacular error it is, and in the amazing mint state grade in which it was preserved. Early mint errors are a specialty, and this error will clearly become one of the finer pieces of caviar in an advanced half cent or error collection. We anticipate spirited bidding for this unique double struck mint state error when it crosses the block, and won't expect to see it again for many years to come once a collector lays his hands on it.
Estimated Value $12,000 - 15,000.
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| Realized $10,925 |
