1843 1C N-4, RB MS(PCGS#403923)

August 2020 U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1122

Grade

MS66RB

Price

20,400

Lot Description

Premium Gem 1843 Newcomb-4 Cent Graded MS-70 by "Ted" Naftzger 1843 Braided Hair Cent. N-4, 13. Rarity-1. Petite Head, Large Letters. MS-66 RB (PCGS). CAC. Type:Braided Hair. Design: Obv: A head of Liberty faces left with 13 stars around the border and the date 1843 below. She is wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, her hair tied into a bun at the back of her head by a beaded cord. Rev: A circular wreath encloses the denomination ONE CENT with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border. Weight Standard: 10.89 grams. Diameter: 27.5 mm. Die Variety: Newcomb-4, 13. Obv: Petite Head, with a small round hole in Liberty's ear and the point of the lowest curl over the left edge of the upright of the digit 4 in the date. The 1843 N-4, 13 represents the only use of this obverse die. Rev: Large Letters, Reverse of 1844, which is diagnostic for the attribution when paired with an 1843 Petite Head obverse. One or more points are evident at the top left of the letter N in ONE. The 1843 N-4, 13 also represents the only use of this reverse die. N-4, 13 is the only die marriage that corresponds to the Petite Head, Large Letters Guide Booklisting for the 1843 Braided Hair cent. Die State: Grellman d, Noyes D/B. Obv: Die lapped with the tiny lump under the digit 1 in the date, the rim cud below that digit and the lines from the denticles to star 12 from early states no longer visible. The field is rough and flowlined. Rev: Die also lapped, the formerly strong lines at the left top of the letter N in ONE reduced to a single tiny point. The field is rough and flowlined, especially around the periphery. This die state corresponds to the N-13 attribution for the date, which Newcomb failed to recognize as a late state of the 1843 N-4 dies. Edge: Plain. Mintage for the Issue: 2,425,342 coins. Estimated Surviving Population for the Die Variety: Rarity-1: More than 1,500 coins in all grades. Strike: Nicely struck for the advanced die state, the obverse exhibits sharp detail throughout Liberty's portrait, the stars exhibiting full radial lines. The date is also bold, but the denticulation around the border is a bit weak. Reverse denticulation is bolder, the balance of the detail on that side sharp to full. Surfaces: Only the lightest iridescent brown toning is evident on the high points and in the fields of this otherwise bright mint orange example. Free of detracting spots and significant marks; there is a shallow scuff in the obverse field between stars 12 and the hair curl at the back of Liberty's bust and faint traces of an ancient fingerprint on the reverse around the ribbon end. A frosty and attractive Gem with abundant eye appeal. Commentary: This absolutely stunning Braided Hair cent was described as MS-70 by "Ted" Naftzger. Graded "MS65+, close to MS66" with a ranking of CC#1 by McCawley-Grellman in their cataloging for the Naftzger Collection. Noyes' grade is MS65 and tied for CC#2 for the 1843 N-4 dies, but tied for CC#1 for the late N-13 die state. Among the finest known examples of both the N-4 variety as a whole and the late N-13 die state, this is a truly exceptional coin whose offering in this sale represents a significant bidding opportunity for advanced early copper specialists. Provenance: From the ESM Collection. Earlier ex 1984 FUN Show; Florida Coin Exchange's sale of January 7, 1984, lot 22, via Anthony Terranova; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; Ira & Larry Goldberg's sale of the R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr. Collection, Part III, September 2009, lot 653; Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation; our sale of the Cardinal Collection, October 2015 Rarities Auction, lot 12. PCGS Population (Petite Head, Large Letters variety only): 2; 0 finer. CAC Population: 1; 0. PCGS# 403923. NGC ID: 2269. Click here for certification details from PCGS.