1796 1C S-81, BN MS(PCGS#35750)

Spring 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2080

Grade

VF20BN

Price

2,880

Lot Description

A handsome piece with blended reddish-orange and deep brown patina on hard, tight surfaces. Light handling marks require magnification to discern, and none are inconsistent with the assigned grade. The mintage for this final-year Liberty Cap issue is thought to be 109,825 pieces, 21,325 of which were from the die pairing now known as Sheldon-81. Conventional numismatic wisdom represented by the conclusions of Doughty, McGirk, Gilbert Ross, Clapp, Newcomb and Sheldon state that this was the first 1796 Liberty Cap variety produced, although <em>Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents: 1793-1814</em> (2000) follows Denis W. Loring in assigning that distinction to Sheldon-91.