Lot 186
1803 S-243 R2 Stemless Wreath. PCGS graded MS-66 Red & Brown. Highly lustrous light bluish steel brown and chocolate with 10% of the mint color remaining on the obverse and nearly half the mint color showing on the reverse. The surfaces are satiny and the luster is unbroken as it flows over the devices and highpoints of the design. The only marks are a small swipe of lighter and darker toning mixed together in the field near the dentils behind the head and a microscopic planchet flake low on the neck. The reverse is an absolute gem, flawless in every respect. Sharply struck E-MDS, Breen state II, with faintly clashed dentils impressed over ERICA. The repunched second S in STATES and doubled fraction bar features are bold, and the stemless wreath feature is obvious to the unaided eye. This is the finest 1803 cent with a Stemless Wreath, a great mate to the similarly esteemed 1802 Stemless Wreath cent offered a couple lots earlier. This is the Noyes plate coin for the variety. Called MS67 Choice and finest known in the Noyes census, his photo #20006. Bland says MS63 and tied for CC#1 honors. Our grade is Mint State-65. PCGS population 1 with none finer.
Estimated Value $30,000 - 40,000.
Ex Ira S. Reed 9/3/1943-Leonard M. Holland-Pennypacker Auction Centre 5/1959-Louis Helfenstein 2/20/1960-C. Douglas Smith 4/60-Louis Helfenstein 3/61-C. Douglas Smith-Louis Helfenstein, Lester Merkin 8/14/64:30-Richard Picker-R. E. Naftzger, Jr.
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| Realized $241,500 |
