Lot 624
1841 N-3 R2 PCGS graded "Genuine." Beautiful light olive brown with delicate tones of rose and iridescent bluish steel. The fields are smooth and prooflike on both sides thanks to new, polished dies, die state b early (state a, from uncracked dies, is unknown and probably doesn't exist). The obverse fields are covered with fine die polishing lines extending down slightly to the right of vertical, and the tiny die finishing lines found on the early state of the reverse are sharp. In addition, there is repunching clearly visible on the 8 with weaker repunching on the adjacent 1. This is a neat die state, the only example seen this early. In spite of the new dies, both are cracked, the obverse lightly through the base of the date extending to either side and the reverse with a fine but clear crack through ICA clockwise passing across the stem tip and ribbon to UNITED ST. The only defects are a spot of darker toning in the dentils just above star 12, a less obvious one in the field right of star 2, another under star 9, and a small nick on the jaw. This is a great cent in spite of the "Genuine" assessment and the minor defects. And I can't fault those graders for "Genuine" call since this cent is different and it would be easy to mistake the die polishing lines for cleaning hairlines. Prooflike fields often tone differently than satiny or flowlined fields, and that's why you sometimes encounter deeply toned purple or iridescent rose toning on old proofs. That's not to imply that this cent is a proof, just that it has prooflike characteristics. Called net AU50 in the Noyes census, his photo #30961. Our grade is MS62 Prooflike, tied for CC#2 honors overall but finest of the early die state. You can argue the grade, but you can't argue the remarkable die state.
Estimated Value $500-UP.
Ex Anderson Dupont sale, Stack's 9/24/54:819.
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| Realized $1,323 |
