1796 $1 BB-63, Small Date & Letters MS(PCGS#39998)

The Cardinal Collection/A Gentleman's Collection

拍卖行

American Numismatic Rarities

批号

18

等级

AU58

价格

247,467

详细说明

1796 BB-63, B-2. Small Date, Small Letters. Rarity-4. AU-58 (NGC). A lovely example with nearly full lustre on its somewhat reflective surfaces. Evenly toned in pleasing cham- pagne, some tiny spots of color atop the obverse are noted with a glass. A scratch from star 11 to Liberty’s chin is noted and served usefully while tracking the pedigree of this coin. Struck off-center, most notably on the reverse, where very long denticles at the upper left balance the lack of denticles at the lower right ot that side. The reverse shows somewhat more centered alignment. Stars 9 through 1 1 lack centers due to this centering, as there was insufficient pressure on the other side to make for proper metal flow. Otherwise this piece is very nicely struck but for the usual minor softness on the eagle’s breast and knee. This piece represents two of the specimens on the Bow- ers list of “notable specimens” and we are happy to close the pedigree circle and reunite the two ends of the history of this coin. As noted in the Whitney sale catalogue, this piece is a “simply magnificent coin with an outstanding pedigree.” Its placement near the very top of the Condition Census lends this beautiful coin even greater desirability. Indeed, after decades of research, “Mr. 1796” John Whitney Walter concluded that this was the second best specimen of the variety he had seen. NGC Census (all varieties): 7; 4 finer (MS-62 finest). The fin- est BB-63 on the NGC Census is AU-53, and the variety is not designated on this holder. The pedigree offered below is different from the last two auction appearances and may be considered a correction — the errors began when the “Newcomer, Green” pedigree in the NN48 T. James Clarke sale was misinterpreted as Howard Newcomb and Mehl’s Charles Green sale by the Bareford cataloguer. While there was a specimen of this variety in the Mehl 1949 Charles Green sale, it was unplated and called “Very Fine” — among Mehl’s many positive qualities, undergrading was not among them. Breen called this coin “a full AU-55, only a shade from Mint State” in 1956, accurate then and now since AU-58 was not in use during that era. Variety Notes: BB-63 represents one of three varieties combining the small-date obverse and smaU-letters reverse. On the obverse, the date numerals are rendered in a small font, with the numerals evenly spaced, and Liberty’s curl touching one point of Star 1. The reverse displays the legend “UNITED STATES OF AMEILICA,” rendered in the small lettering font — a re-use of the small letters reverse die first employed in 1795. From Waldo Newcomer to Col. E.FI.R. Green (via Philadelphia dealer James Macallister) to T. James Clarke; New Netherlands Coin Company’s 48th Sale, November 1956, Lot 616; Stack’s sale of the Harold Bareford Collection, October 1981, Lot 407; Stack’s sale of the John Whitney "Mr. 1796” Collection, May 1999, Lot 1781.