Lot 20
1796 S-119 R3 Draped Bust, Reverse of 1797 PCGS graded MS63 Brown. Frosty medium brown and light chocolate with slightly darker steel brown toning on the highest points of the devices. No spots, stains, or contact marks. The only defects are some of the usual microscopic chips that were on these planchets prior to striking. A very tiny chip under the corner of the eye and another nestled between the leaf tips under the second S in STATES are good identifying marks, but you will need a strong glass to see them. M-LDS, Breen state III early, with a strong die crack through the 17 and lowest curl and narrow rim cud breaks over TAT in STATES. There is a minor planchet clip affecting the dentils opposite the chin and the opposing ones over ME in AMERICA (as struck). This beautiful cent is almost certainly from the famous "Nichols Hoard" of mint state cents. (The "Nichols Hoard" is the name commonly applied to a group of cents, certainly several hundred and possibly as many as 1000, that were obtained directly from the US Mint in 1797 by Benjamin Goodhue, a member of the Continental Congress. These cents were passed down through his family until they ended up as the property of the Nichols family before being dispersed in the 1860's by David Nichols of Gallows Hill, Massachusetts. The hoard contained examples of the S-119 variety of 1796 and the S-123 and S-135 varieties of 1797.) Our grade is MS60. A great type or date coin. The attribution and Koshkarian provenance are noted on the PCGS label. PCGS population 4; 3 finer, 2 in 64, 1 in 65 for the variety. Estimate Value $10,000 - UP
Ex John B. Hamrick-Tony Terranova 9/2004.
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| Realized $20,563 |
