Lot 135
1805 C-2 R5 Small 5 with Stems F12. Sharpness VF20 but the hair details were carefully strengthened to "improve" the grade. Lightly burnished and nicely retoned glossy steel and medium chocolate brown. The surfaces are smooth and free of any marks. Nicely struck EDS with only a faint hint of swelling in the field before the portrait. The reverse is rotated 15 degrees relative to the normal head-to-foot die orientation. This half cent offers excellent eye appeal in spite of the hair strengthening and retoning. The finest known example of this rarity grades only VF and most have significant problems. Another F12 brought $41,400 in our sale of the Ray Rouse collection (9/14/2008:69). This piece is clearly in the condition census and it is the plate coin for the variety in the Manley book on US Half Cents.
Estimated Value $2,000-UP.
Ex Charles M. Williams, Numismatic Gallery 11/14/1950:718-Robert Schonwalter, Stack's 1/21/2003:1149.
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| Realized $3,760 |
