Lot 473
1797 S-143 R5 Stemless Wreath VF25. Sharper by at least 5 points but there are too many light contact marks for the sharpness grade. The obverse shows numerous light nicks and faint hairlines, none notable but too many to ignore, and there are a few rim bruises on the reverse, the strongest of these at ED in UNITED. The color is an attractive glossy medium chocolate brown with lots of frosty lighter brown toning in protected areas, especially on the reverse. M-LDS, Breen state III, with fine die clashmarks on the reverse. The dies were not in correct axial alignment (the die faces were not parallel) creating a bold impression at the top of the obverse and bottom of the reverse with a weaker strike evident at the bottom of the obverse and top of the reverse. Breen mentions in his "Remarks" for the variety (encyclopedia, page 432) that he had seen an example in this die state that displayed similar axial misalignment. Called VF25 and CC#5 in the Bland census. Noyes says VF30 net VF20 and tied for CC#4, his photo #34249. Either way this is an important cent.
Estimated Value $5,000-UP.
From " a Private British Collection"-English dealer at the Long Beach Coin Expo 6/4/1989-Doug Bird-Dr. Philip W. Ralls.
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| Realized $6,169 |
