1820 1C Small Date, BN MS(PCGS#91615)

August 2020 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

1077

等级

MS63BN

价格

11,671

详细说明

Choice Mint State 1820 N-15 1820 Matron Head Cent. N-15. Rarity-2. Small Date. MS-63 BN (PCGS). Type:Matron Head. Design: Obv: A head of Liberty faces left with 13 stars around the border and the date 1820 below. She is wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, her hair tied into a bun at the back of her head by a plain cord. Rev: A circular wreath encloses the denomination ONE CENT with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border. Weight Standard: 10.89 grams. Diameter: 28-29 mm. Die Variety: Newcomb-15. Obv: Small Date, the top of the digit 2 curved and ending in a narrow point. The letter L in LIBERTY is boldly repunched, the letter T high and nearly touching the top of the coronet line. The 1820 N-15 represents the only use of this obverse die. Rev: A single denticle is centered over both the letter I in UNITED and the letter I in AMERICA ("both I's dotted," per Noyes' terminology). The right base of the letter E in AMERICA is higher than the left base of the adjacent R. The 1820 N-15 also represents the only use of this reverse die. N-15 is one of six die marriages that correspond to the Small Date Guide Bookvariety of the 1820 Matron Head cent. The other five are N-4, N-5, N-6, N-7 and N-8. Die State: Noyes C/C. Obv: The die is worn with the inner circle present in earlier states now hardly discernible, the denticles beginning to fade, several of the stars drawing toward the border, and light flowlining evident around the periphery. There is considerable die spalling throughout Liberty's portrait. Rev: The reverse die is also heavily rusted with extensive spalling throughout the wreath, the central field, and over the letters in the denomination ONE CENT. The denticles are fading with flowlines particularly prominent in the field between the letters TED in UNITED and the wreath. Edge: Plain. Mintage for the Issue: 4,407,550 coins. Estimated Surviving Population for the Die Variety: Rarity-2: 751 to 1,000 coins in all grades. Strike: A late die state, as above, peripheral softness affects not only the denticles, but the stars on the obverse and the letters in the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the reverse. Most of the former features are blunt and lack centrils, while many of the peripheral letters on the reverse are soft and beginning to draw toward the border. The strike is trivially off center to 7 o'clock on the obverse and 12:30 on the reverse with little to no denticulation along the lower left obverse and upper reverse borders. Central detail is significantly sharper with just a touch of softness to the high points of Liberty's portrait, the wreath full throughout. Surfaces: Dominant medium brown patina to both sides, the obverse exhibits several intermingled blushes of faded mint color that are most prominent in the field before Liberty's profile and around star 13. Splashes of darker steely-charcoal toning associated with light carbon are evident on the reverse around the letters TATE in STATES and in the central field between the words ONE and CENT. Several other tiny carbon flecks are scattered about on both sides, but not even close inspection with a loupe reveals any marks of consequence. Commentary: This fully original, aesthetically pleasing Mint State coin will nicely represent either the 1820 Newcomb-15 die marriage or the Small Date Guide Bookvariety of the issue. EAC grade of MS-60+ per Bob Grellman in his cataloging for this coin when it was offered as part of Superior's May 2003 sale of the Dr. Wallace Lee Collection. Provenance: From the ESM Collection. Earlier ex 1995 EAC Sale, lot 296; Dr. Wallace Lee; Superior's sale of the Dr. Wallace Lee Collection of Half Cents & Large Cents, May 2003 Pre-Long Beach Elite Coin Auction, lot 661; Tom Reynolds. PCGS Population: 17; 16 finer in this category (MS-65+ BN finest). PCGS# 91615. Click here for certification details from PCGS.