1797 1/2C C-1, 1 Above 1, BN MS(PCGS#35101)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2018

Grade

XF40BN

Price

4,800

Lot Description

Manley Die State 4.0. A nicely preserved example of this conditionally challenged early half cent design type. Warm ruddy-brown patina blankets both sides, the surfaces overall smooth with no mentionable handling marks. The strike is well centered with just a touch of softness to the denticulation along the right obverse border. All design elements are boldly to sharply rendered, the detail to Liberty's hair curls particularly sharp and impressive. As the most plentiful die marriage of the 1797-dated half cent issue, and the one that corresponds to the popular 1 Above 1 <em>Guide Book</em> variety, Cohen-1 enjoys strong demand in all grades.<p>While it is believed that all examples of the 1797 Cohen-1 half cent were struck on cut down, rolled out Talbot, Allum & Lee cents, not all retain traces of the undertype. The present example appears to be one of those, but closer inspection of the reverse periphery reveals a few (very) faint traces of the undertype, most notably on the border outside the letters ES in STATES and along the lower right border.