1793 1/2C, BN MS(PCGS#1000)

1793 1/2C, BN MS (PCGS#1000)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Lot Description: Manley Die State 2.0. This pleasing piece is warmly toned in a blend of chocolate and deep golden-brown. The strike is well centered on both sides, and while the denomination HALF CENT at central reverse is soft and only partially legible due to die state, all other features are suitably bold and there is just moderate wear. The surfaces have a hard and frosty appearance with some nice gloss; blemishes are minor and include a couple of dull nicks on Liberty's cheek and light carbon build up here and there on both sides, none distracting during in-hand viewing.<p>In his modern (2019) reference <em>The Half Cent, 1793-1857: The Story of America's Greatest Little Coin</em>, William R. Eckberg accounts for 250 to 300 survivors from the 1793 Cohen-1 dies. This estimate squares nicely with Manley's older (1998) ranking of Rarity-3+, confirming that it has stood the test of time. A very historic die pairing, C-1 is the first half cent produced, the coins struck July 19, 1793, and delivered by the coiner the following day. With the extant population thinning drastically as one progresses up the numismatic grading scale, our offering of this visually appealing and solid PCGS VF-30 will certainly appeal to astute bidders.