1793 1C Wreath, Vine and Bars, BN MS(PCGS#1347)

June 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auktionator

Stack's Bowers

Losnummer

2002

Erhaltungsgrad

AU50BN

Preis

21.960

Losbeschreibung

Breen Die State V. We note very little in the way of actual wear for this striking Wreath cent, the otherwise sharp definition coming up just a bit short in the center of the obverse, where some of the individual hair strands are merged together. The texture is generally hard with appreciable frost, although dark charcoal-copper surfaces are finely granular overall with some old, light verdigris nestled within the protected areas around and among many of the design elements. No significant marks are seen, however, and the in-hand appearance is pleasingly smooth at most lighting angles.<p>The large cents of 1793 were the first coins struck by the Philadelphia Mint at their facility at Seventh and Filbert Streets. While appreciated by numismatists today, Henry Voigt's original Chain cents were not so beloved at the time, but were instead ridiculed as ugly: one oft-quoted account noting that Liberty appeared to be in a fright with the chains on the reverse as being an ill omen. Voigt replaced his earlier design with a more elegant and fuller rendition of Liberty, as on this coin, with flowing hair in bold relief on the obverse and a many-berried wreath on the reverse. Exactly when the transition from Chain to Wreath cent took place is a matter of conjecture; it has been commonly believed that the 63,353 cents that were delivered between April and July were of the Wreath type.<p>The Sheldon-6 is often referred to as the "Sprung Die" variety, as termed by Sylvester Crosby due to the prominent die bulging on the obverse from the back of Liberty's hair to the rim that is always seen on this pairing. The buckling of the dies also caused tresses in the central part of Liberty's hair to appear worn, even on high grade examples, as here, and is also responsible for anomalies in the beading, a chip out of the rim in front of Liberty's chin and, in the final stages, also appearing to cause die cracks through and radiating from letters in the word LIBERTY.<p>The large cent was a utilitarian coin and saw heavy use in commerce for decades. As a result, while a few hundred S-6 cents are thought to be in numismatic holdings, most are in very low grades. Examples at the VF level and higher are few and far between and command great attention when offered. Today, large cents of all kinds are beloved by numismatists and have a long-established following. The delicate features of the wreath and its berry sprays combined with the delightfully high relief of Liberty's profile have made the 1793 Wreath cents among the most coveted of all the large cent types. This opportunity should not be overlooked.