Lot 615
1840 N-9 R3 PCGS graded MS64 Red & Brown. Large Date. The obverse is lustrous dark bluish steel and olive with underlying very faded mint red showing though in the fields and protected areas. The reverse is slightly faded mint red fading to steel brown, about 75% of the red showing on that side. Both sides are quite attractive offering great luster and outstanding eye appeal. No spots or stains and only a few trivial marks. These include some microscopic ticks in the field above star 1 and a small planchet flake in the dentils under star 12 plus another in the dentils over star 10, both as struck. Rare EDS, die state b. The fields are hard and the obverse is slightly reflective. Concentric raised die preparation lines centered around the ear hole (pantograph lines that are especially strong on this die variety but that can also be found on a couple other of the Petite Heads) cover the neck and face. A very faint die crack extends from the dentils under star 4 into the field towards the nose ending under the right edge of that star. This variety is unknown without the die crack (the theoretical die state a), and this is the earliest state seen. Most come with this crack extending across the portrait to star 11 and beyond. Called MS65 and CC#1 in the Noyes census, his photo #30865. Our grade is MS65, CC#1 in the Grellman census. An outstanding grade of an unusual die state for a die variety that is represented by only a half dozen mint state pieces.
Estimated Value $2,000-UP.
Ex B. Max Mehl personal collection-T. James Clarke 1954.
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| Realized $8,050 |
