1795 1/2C C-4, BN MS(PCGS#35080)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

2012

Grade

XF40BN

Price

5,520

Lot Description

Manley Die State 2.0. Displaying rich saddle-brown surfaces with glints of olive and chestnut, this is an attractive piece with a nice naturally toned appearance. Centering is good, a bit less than perfect on the obverse, but both sides show fully denticulated borders framing generally bold motifs. The only mentionable softness is confined to the centers, due to die state. The old collector envelope that accompanies this lot includes the amusing description, "C-4....'Chicken scratches' variety," a reference not only to the nearly illegible HALF CENT denomination at central reverse, but the original planchet texture in that area, with its numerous tiny marks that were not struck out. Related softness and planchet texture is also evident at central obverse, where many of the finer elements of Liberty's portrait are not present. There are no significant post-production marks or other blemishes.<p>With approximately 150 coins believed extant in all grades (per Bill Eckberg, 2019), Cohen-4 is the most readily obtainable attribution of the 1795 Plain Edge, Punctuated Date half cent. This variety was included in the Mint's delivery of 30,000 half cents on January 22, 1796. Most were struck on thin planchets that conformed to the 84-grain standard introduced on December 27, 1795, but Ed Fuhrman (2022) reports a unique specimen struck on a thick planchet that was probably intended for use with the 1795 Cohen-5 die pairing.