1804 1/2C Crosslet 4, Stems, BN MS(PCGS#1069)

March 2020 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

3020

等级

MS63BN

价格

22,144

详细说明

Choice Mint State 1804 C-10 Half Cent Crosslet 4, Stems to Wreath 1804 Draped Bust Half Cent. C-10. Rarity-1. Crosslet 4, Stems to Wreath. MS-63 BN (PCGS). CAC. Type:Type IV: Draped Bust. Design: Obv: A draped bust of Liberty faces right, her hair tied with a ribbon. The word LIBERTY is above and the date 1804 is below. Rev: Design of 1802 to 1808. A wreath surrounds the denomination HALF CENT, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border and another expression of the denomination, 1/200, below. A ribbon knot with double bow binds the base of the wreath. Weight Standard: 84 grains (5.44 grams). Diameter: 23.5 mm. Die Variety: Cohen-10, Breen-9, Gilbert-4. Obv: Large crosslet 4, straight up (i.e., not leaning to either the right or left). There is a short die scratch slanting down to the right from the lower right side of the digit 0 in the date. The upright of the letter R in LIBERTY is missing its right foot. This die was later used in the 1804 C-12 marriage. Rev: Single leaf at the top of the left branch in the wreath, double leaf at the top of the right branch in the wreath; there are five berries on each branch. The digit punch for all of the letter Ts is defective with no feet, although vestigial feet have been added by hand. There is a light die scratch from the tip of the leaf below the letter T in UNITED that extends toward the base of the adjacent E. A tiny spur extends down from the right base of the letter R in AMERICA, and a tiny dash in the field midway between that letter and the leaf below. This die was used earlier in the 1804 C-8 and C-9 pairings. Cohen-10, along with C-1, 2, 4 and 9, corresponds to the Crosslet 4, Stems to Wreath Guide Bookvariety of the 1804 half cent. Die State: Manley 3.0, the latest state known to the author, and the most often seen among survivors. Obv: Light clash marks are evident at the back of Liberty's head below the ribbon ends. The fields are rough due to die rust. Rev: The crack from the border to the top of the R in AMERICA, inherited from the 1804 C-8 and C-9 pairings, is now heavy and distorts the upright of that letter. The die has been reground and repolished with the border denticulation gone. Edge: Plain. Mintage: Government records report a mintage of 1,055,312 half cents for calendar year 1804, although the actual number of coins struck from 1804-dated dies is unknown. Some of the coins struck during 1804 were likely from 1803-dated dies, and additional 1804-dated specimens were almost certainly delivered in 1805, possibly as late as 1806. Estimated Surviving Population for the Issue: 15,000 or more coins in all grades. Estimated Surviving Population for the Die Variety: Rarity-1: More than 2,000 coins in all grades. Strike: Well struck for the advanced die state, the central design elements on both sides are boldly to sharply rendered. The individual strands of Liberty's hair, the drapery lines and the leaves in the wreath are crisp. The reverse border is devoid of denticulation, as above, the obverse likewise from 11 to 6 o'clock. Peripheral design elements on both sides are bold to sharp. Surfaces: This is a satiny and visually appealing coin, with dominant glossy brown patina on the obverse yielding to a splash of lighter autumn-brown in the lower left field. The latter color dominates the reverse, while both sides have a few streaks and swirls of warmer copper-gray scattered about. Free of detracting marks, this is a pleasingly smooth coin that is certainly at the uppermost reaches of the assigned grade level. Commentary: Manley asserts that C-10 was the final die marriage struck for the Crosslet 4, Stems to Wreath variety, immediately preceding C-11, the Plain 4, Stems to Wreath pairing. It is one of the most plentiful die varieties of the 1804-dated issue, and one of the few that is generally obtainable in Mint State. This is a premium Choice example, and is rare relative to the demand for it. Provenance: From the ESM Collection. PCGS Population: 26; 16 finer in this category (MS-65+ BN finest). There are no RB or RD examples of this variety listed at either PCGS or NGC. CAC Population (BN category only): 7; 11. PCGS# 1069. Click here for certification details from PCGS.