Lot 475
1798 S-144 R5+ Style I Hair, Large 8 VG10. Glossy chocolate brown with lighter chocolate toning covering the devices and darker chocolate in protected areas. Nice for the grade, especially to the unaided eye, but a glass reveals some minor contact marks. The notable ones are light, ancient scratches hidden in the toning on both sides and a small rim nick under the lowest curl. M-LDS, Breen state III late. The reverse is heavily buckled, the die crack through the top of OF is strong, and the terminal crack through ES is just starting to show. An impressive example of this very rare variety; called "A famous coin and one of the few aesthetically pleasing pieces--an aristocrat" by Dr. Ralls on his collection envelope. The C. Douglas Smith envelope (which also accompanies this lot) documents some of the history of this cent. He says "Lot 180, DuPont sale, 9/24/54, @$140. To DWL @ $500 several years later, thence to Robbie Brown. Regained 10/20/75 with 3 Grovers, from DWL in trade for the Proskey-Hines-WHS S-144. DWL had secured the DuPont S-144 from RSB as a stipulated replacement for the Proskey-Hines-WHS piece, which, in turn, was regained from DWL in a 15-Grover deal on Xmas day 1977." Doug got all this on a single 2x2 envelope, and FYI, a "Grover" is $1000. Dr. Ralls obtained the coin from Doug Smith in what Phil called "a blockbuster trade" that involved the finest known 1798 S-169, the second finest 1798 S-183, and "mucho cash." Like Dan Holmes says, it's all about the story. This cent is graded VG10 by Del Bland and Bill Noyes (his photo #23143) and it is tied for CC#3 honors with the ANS piece. An impressive cent with a great story.
Estimated Value $5,000-UP.
Ex Anderson Dupont sale, Stack's 9/24/1954:180-C. Douglas Smith-Denis Loring-R. S. Brown, Jr.-C. Douglas Smith 2/28/1990-Dr. Philip W. Ralls.
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| Realized $10,281 |
