Lot 370
1837 N-6 R8 (as a proof) R2 (as a business strike) PCGS graded MS65BN. PCGS graded MS-65 Brown. Plain Hair Cord with Medium Letters. Very attractive and highly lustrous bluish steel and light olive with faded mint red in protected areas on the obverse and sea green overtones on the reverse. The fields are smooth and slightly reflective with microscopic die polishing lines showing on both sides. The notable marks are a faint, very shallow spot of fine carbon in the field over star 1, another on a single dentil over the left side of star 7, a microscopic planchet chip on the tip of the chin, a small planchet chip left of the first S in STATES, and a couple tiny splashes of darker toning at the U in UNITED. MDS with the die marks under the berry below the E in UNITED lapped off the die. Sharply struck and the eye appeal is excellent, but the proof status of this piece is a subject of some debate. Breen lists it as coin #1 of only 2 known to him (page 65, Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Proof Coins 1722-1977). Del Bland lists this one as Proof-60+ and one of 2 known to him while Denis Loring says this example is the only true proof of the variety calling it Proof-60+ (he says the other example claimed to be a proof, Pearl:340, is not a true proof). Our opinion is that this is a beautiful cent struck from freshly polished dies that produced prooflike fields, but it is not a true proof strike. Not in dispute is the outstanding eye appeal of this sharply struck cent. Noyes photo #36378. Our grade is MS64 Prooflike. PCGS Population 2; none finer.
Estimated Value $3,000-UP.
Ex Howard R. Newcomb, J. C. Morgenthau 5/16/45:682 (as a proof)-Floyd T. Starr, Stack's 6/13/84:335 (as a proof).
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| Realized $3,335 |
