Lot 491
1798 S-149 R4+ Style I Hair, Large 8 VG8. A couple points sharper but there are myriad fine, very old scratches on the portrait and inside the wreath, all hidden in the mostly glossy dark chocolate brown toning. A dull scratch in the leaves under TA in STATES is the only other notable mark. The surfaces are decent but not perfectly smooth, and the microscopic roughness is mostly hidden under the natural gloss. LDS, Breen state III. The bulge at OF is obvious and vertical die scaling is present in the field before the neck. Called VG8 and tied for CC#6 in the Bland census. Noyes says VG10 net VG7 and tied for CC#8, his photo #24134. Doug Smith called this cent a "Prototype of a VG-8 coin, beautifully balanced, without defects." Dr. Ralls said "A nice 149--almost never found this nice."
Estimated Value $1,000-UP.
Ex Del Bland (who found it unattributed at a Bakersfield coin show 4/1974)-C. Douglas Smith-Dr. Philip W. Ralls.
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| Realized $999 |
