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Sale 123
Lot 99
1847/7 N-2 R3 PCGS graded MS63 Brown. Repunched Date, the so-called Large 7 over Small 7 variety. Lustrous light olive and golden tan. Satiny mint frost covers this cent and the eye appeal is excellent. The only defects are a few small stains of darker reddish steel brown toning on the obverse, notably under star 13 and right of star 9. Sharply struck EDS+, die state a late. All the stars except for #5 and #6 have full radial lines, and the devices are fully impressed. The die lines from the dentils at star 13 are visible but not sharp. The "Large 7 over Small 7" feature is bold. All 4 digits of the date were repunched using a 4-digit logo punch, but the repunching shows only on the 1 and 47. The initial lighter punch on the 4 shows under the peak of that digit while the initial punches on the 4 & 7 are above the normal digits, highest on the 7. This shows the first date was punched in too low on the left end and too high on the right, and that the 8 was the locus of the slight rotation between the two punchings. Hence the repunching is more separated on the 7 than on the adjacent 4 because it is farther from the center of rotation. In addition, the final impression of the date was more strongly impressed on the right end (the end with the 7) causing that numeral to appear fatter than normal thanks to the beveled edges on the numeral punches. In this cataloger's opinion, the same date punches were used for both impressions. The slightly misplaced lighter impression that produced the so-called "Small 7" protruding above the normal "Large 7" appears smaller only because of the relative strength of those impressions. Nonetheless, the variety (and it's later relative, the Newcomb-31 die variety that used this same obverse die) will continue to be called "Large 7 over Small 7" varieties because that is the exactly what you see, regardless of how it all happened. Our grade is MS60+, CC#4 in the Grellman census. A great example of this very popular "Redbook" variety, and it comes with a nice provenance. The attribution and COL Ellsworth Collection provenance are noted on the PCGS label. PCGS population 1; 2 finer: 1 in 64+, 1 in 65. Estimated Value $4,000 - UP
Ex Henry C. Hines-Floyd T. Starr, Stack's 6/14/1984:501-R. E. Naftzger, Jr. (via Bill Noyes circa 2003)-Tom Reynolds, McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Superior 5/25/2003:945-Tom Reynolds-Adam Mervis, Heritage Auctions 1/10/2014:2289 (as MS62)-Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth Collection (includes the Naftzger collection envelope plus the Starr and Mervis lot tickets).
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