Lot 739
1849 N-20 R1 MS60. Frosty steel brown with slightly lighter steel brown tending toward sea-green on the reverse. The only notable marks are a tiny nick and small spot co-located midway between star 1 and the chin and a pair of microscopic planchet flakes close over star 12 (as struck). Nicely struck E-MDS, die state a late. The die lines at the inner curl and the numerous die lines on the reverse are visible and the fields are starting to show fine radial die flowlines. Struck on a planchet that is clearly thicker than normal and it is slightly heavy at 171.4 grains versus the standard of 168.0 grains (in reality most late date large cents come in slightly under this standard even in mint state grades). Your cataloger has seen a few other examples of N-20 struck on a similarly thick planchet, but this is the finest of that group. The cents of 1849 occasionally are seen on planchets that have a beveled edge or a diameter than is clearly larger than normal or are just overweight. You do not find these issues on late date large cents of different years which suggests the planchet supplier was experimenting with new production techniques or having quality control problems, and that those problems were quickly corrected.
Estimated Value $750-UP.
Ex McCawley & Grellman Auctions 8/19/1995:533-R. S. Brown, Jr., McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Superior 6/2/2002:741-Chris McCawley 5/2011-Doug Durasoff (M&G 1995 lot ticket included).
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| Realized $764 |
