|
Sale 48
Lot 168
1793 S-10 R4 Wreath Cent. PCGS graded MS-64 Brown. Choice frosty light chocolate brown with faint wisps of darker chocolate and steel toning on both sides. Sharply struck and nicely centered with full border beads around both sides. Just the faintest hint of rub on the highest points of the design. The only defect is a thin planchet fissure on the edge outside the beads over NIT, and this mint-made planchet flaw is located in an area that makes it meaningful only as an identifying mark. Great eye appeal, and Ted Naftzger's envelope for this cent (which accompanies the lot) shows he felt the cent had "proof surface." The strike is from the early state of the dies, Breen state I, with smooth, hard fields. However, calling the surfaces "proof" is a bit optimistic. The reverse of this cent is included on the Crosby-Levick plate and both sides are plated in the 1914 ANS Exhibition Catalog. Bill Noyes also selected this cent to illustrate the variety in his book on the cents of 1793-1814. Called MS60 and tied for CC#3 in the Bland census, but the piece he lists as being slightly finer is weakly struck, as is the other MS60 piece he has tied with the coin offered here, and the piece he shows as finest of the variety is in the ANS Museum. Noyes says AU55 and tied for CC#2, his photo #20001. Our grade is About Uncirculated-58. A wonderful example of the variety, and it comes with an equally impressive provenance. The attribution and Naftzger collection provenance are noted on the slab label on this and all the other slabbed Naftzger cents in this sale. PCGS population 1 with none finer.
Estimated Value $110,000 - 125,000.
Ex Sylvester S. Crosby-Lorin G. Parmelee (privately) 2/6/1892-Dr. Thomas Hall 9/7/1909-Virgil M. Brand-Carl Wurtzbach-Virgil M. Brand 2/7/1941-B. G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co.) 3/24/1943-Abe Kosoff-Oscar J. Pearl, Numismatic Gallery FPL 1944:9-Charles M. Williams, Numismatic Gallery #68, 11/14/1950:12-R. E. Naftzger, Jr.
|
| |
| Realized $224,250 |
|
