1794 1C Apple Cheek, S-24, BN MS(PCGS#35537)

June 2017 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

9229

Grade

AU55BN

Price

15,275

Lot Description

Very Choice 1794 Apple Cheek Cent Ex Zabriskie-Newcomb-Downing 1794 Liberty Cap Cent. S-24. Rarity-1. Head of 1794. AU-55 (PCGS). A superb example of the famous Apple Cheek variety with surfaces that are every bit as choice as one could ever hope for on a 1794 cent of this grade. Just a couple of microscopic nicks will be noted under magnification and a small reverse rim bump is noted for accuracy, though this is largely masked by the grading holder. Still, the coin is so pleasing as to render these characteristics utterly trivial. The color is even light chocolate brown with olive highlights and nuances of mahogany through the roughness at the lower obverse that is a characteristic of this variety in this die state. Both sides are glossy and smooth. Well struck with sharp relief, respectable definition of all dentils, and a generally even impression. Even the edge of this piece is noteworthy for the yellow ink filling the H and D of HUNDRED, the marker that this piece once graced the collection of Homer K. Downing who marked his lettered edge early dates in this manner shortly before his passing. We do not know precisely when Downing acquired this coin, but we do know that it was once in the cabinet of Captain Andrew Zabriskie and it was judged nice enough, even in 1909, for Henry Chapman to have plated it in his sale of that famous collection. The coin was sold with Downing's collection in the 1952 ANA sale and we suspect it remained in the same collection until we recently removed it from its Capital Plastic holder. A superb piece that has just about everything to offer the 1794 cent enthusiast. Provenance: Ex Captain Andrew C. Zabriskie; Henry Chapman's sale of the Zabriskie Collection, June 1909, lot 738; Howard Newcomb; Homer K. Downing; New Netherlands Coin Company's 1952 ANA sale, lot 1658. PCGS# 901374. NGC ID: 223P.