1842 1C N-2 Small Date, RD MS(PCGS#405817)

1842 1C N-2 Small Date, RD MS (PCGS#405817)

The January 2013 Americana Sale

Auctioneer: Stack's Bowers

Lot Number: 13062

Grade: MS65

Price: 76,375

Lot Description: 1842 Braided Hair Cent. N-2. Rarity-1. Noyes Die State B/B. Small Date. MS-65 RD (PCGS). CAC. Die Variety: Newcomb-2 represents one of nine varieties of the date, the issue about evenly split between Large Date and Small Date varieties.    Die State: From a middle state of the dies with die artifacts around the date still visible but with softening dentil details. Reverse with soft dentils, faint die crack in leaves below UN. Diagnostic die lines gone  from both dies.  Strike: The central details are bold on both sides, with several obverse stars presenting full radials despite some peripheral softness.    Surfaces: Frosty and intensely lustrous mint orange surfaces display bold cartwheel activity.   Census Rankings: The Noyes Census calls this coin the "#1 finest of the date, variety, and Petite Head sub-type;" McCawley-Grellman echoes the exact sentiment of the Noyes Census. The Bland Census stops with the 1839 issues. Noyes grades this coin MS-67, as does McCawley-Grellman. Stewart Blay describes this piece as the single most important specimen from Ted Naftzger's late date large cent collection. Pedigree:  our (Bowers & Merena's) Connecticut State Historical Society and M. Vernon Sheldon Collections sale, April 1983, lot 1007 (via Stanley Kesselman); Ira & Larry Goldberg's sale of the R. E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr. Collection, Part III, September 2009, lot 633; Cardinal Collection. Commentary: What a lovely Braided Hair cent this is, tracing its pedigree back to our sale of the Connecticut State Historical Society Collection.

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