1795 50C A over E VF20 认证号39146353, PCGS号39252

Ron Guth

The 1795 "A over E in STATES" variety was caused when the die engraver accidentally punched an E instead of an A as the third letter of the word STATES on the reverse.  Such an error is understandable since the engraver was working in reverse when creating the die.  No effort was made to efface the mistake, thus virtually every example of this variety shows "ears" near the top of the A (which are merely the serifs of the E peeking out from underneath the A).  Only one die pair shows these characteristics, but there are two discernible die states  (Overton 113 and 113a).  The later die state (O-113a) shows the diagnostic die lump between to the left of the final star on the right, plus a crack through the letters of LIBERTY.

Only two Mint State examples are known of the A over E variety, the finest of which is a PCGS MS64.

 

---

The STETES variety. Very easy to recognize as there is always a large die lump between the 5 and star 15 on the obverse. On the reverse the engraver mistakenly spelled STETES then went back and recut an A over the first E. Easily visible. Not seen in high grades. The best I ever had was a F15.