1795 1/2C C-6a, No Pole, PE, Thin Plan, BN MS(PCGS#35089)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auktionator

Stack's Bowers

Losnummer

2015

Erhaltungsgrad

AU55BN

Preis

9.000

Losbeschreibung

Manley Die State 2.0. The years 1796 through 1799 represent a challenging time in half cent coinage at the United States Mint. Rising copper prices made the production of half cents (and large cents) a financial loser for the institution and the focus at the time was delivering precious metal coins to meet demand from the financial institutions, brokers, and large merchants that figured prominently among the early Mint's bullion depositors. As the Mint was forced to scale back on the acquisition of dedicated half cent planchet stock, the coiners often had to make do with cut down tokens, spoiled cents, and unused cent stock.<p>Against this background it is little wonder that cut down, rolled out Talbot, Allum & Lee cents were the source for most thin planchet 1795 Cohen-6 half cents. While many examples show traces of the undertype, that offered here is one of the clearest and most pronounced in this regard that we have offered in recent memory. At lower left obverse one will see portions of the letters UM & LE and ORK from the upper reverse of the token design; the upper left reverse border of the half cent retains portions of the letters ERTY in LIBERTY from the upper left obverse border of the token. The presence of the letters ORK and the size of the & clearly identify the host as a 1794 Talbot, Allum & Lee cent of the Fuld-2 With NEW YORK, Large & on Reverse variety. The strike from the Cohen-6 dies was no less sharp due to the planchet stock used, virtually all features crisply defined with just a hint of softness in the areas where the undertype is clear. The surfaces are hard and frosty, dressed in rich olive-brown and chestnut-brown colors, and reveal no significant post-production blemishes.<p>The 1795 C-6 dies represent the final use of the obverse of C-1, the pole effaced when the die was reground before its use in the C-5 pairing. The reverse of the 1795 C-6 is unique to this pairing and readily identifiable by the presence of a leaf tip below the letter I in AMERICA. This is the most frequently encountered die marriage of the issue, the mintage clearly substantial, and delivered during February and March 1796. Even so, a problem-free and attractive Choice AU as offered here is scarce relative to market demand, especially from high grade type collectors seeking a single coin to represent the Liberty Cap, Head Right half cent design.