1854 1C J-161 Original, BN PR(PCGS#11663)

1854 1C J-161 Original, BN PR (PCGS#11663)

The Regency Auction 57

Lot Description: A cornet bust of Liberty similar to the current large cents graces the obverse without stars surrounding. J-161 is struck in bronze with a plain edge, and is considered to be Rarity-4. The copper J-160 and the bronze J-161 are virtually indistinguishable from each other save for elemental analysis. These were also struck at two different eras, the originals are thought to weight around 100 grains, while the restrikes were heavier, around 113 grains. Nicely struck and generally smooth, even brown coloration with steely accents that pop when rotated in a light. Nicely reflective and the eye appeal is high end for the assigned grade, thus the coveted GOLD CAC bean. As the price of copper rose in the 1850s, the large cumbersome cents were becoming outmoded and the mint began experimenting with smaller sizes, different alloys, etc in an effort to bring down production costs. These efforts began in 1850, and would continue into 1856, when the small sized copper-nickel Flying Eagle cent was adopted. PCGS 36, NGC 20, CAC GOLD 2. This former duplicate from the Black Cat Collection realized $3,055 in our July 2022 Regency Auction, and we expect it will bring a similar strong price today. Good luck. Cert. Number 4247988 PCGS # 11663