Can someone help me value this coin? It's rather rare, an 1834 cent with "Large 8, Large Stars, and Medium Letters." However, it has several scratches on the reverse. I'm calling it a G-4, and I'm subtracting 2/3 of its value due to the scratches. Using the current average of the Numismedia, NGC and PCGS values, I've got it valued at $111.67.
I am afraid that is not the 1834 N-5, Large 8 and Stars, medium letters. What you have is a large letters reverse. The key to the medium letters is the spacing at the bases of the letters 'TATE' in STATES. This is a mistake commonly made.
Are you sure about the Medium Letters? 1834 1C Large Letter Reverse, BN (Regular Strike) Coronet Head Cent - PCGS CoinFacts 1834 1C Lg 8 Lg Stars Med Let, RB (Regular Strike) Coronet Head Cent - PCGS CoinFacts
The Large 8, Large Stars, Medium Letters variety of the 1834 cent is a quite common type; I think @Eduard is right about it not being an N-5, as that is the only rare Newcomb number of at least 6. I suck at attributing Newcomb variety but I do say that your coin is Large Letters. The value is likely $15-25 in G details with the scratches.
I think you are all right, but here is what the 2024 Red Book calls "Medium Letters," which apparently is not the N-5 coin and seems to match my coin. Note the position of the second "S" in "United States."
There seems to be more than one variety at play here. I am no expert on any large cents (or any other coins), but there seems to be some difference in the editions of Red Book. My 2022 edition has different pictures from my 1991 edition. As for the position of the S, look again at the PCGS site, 1834 1C Lg 8 Lg Stars Med Let, RB (Regular Strike) Coronet Head Cent - PCGS CoinFacts. Their large main coin picture has the S in STATES well beyond the point of the leaves in the next to last cluster. But the smaller picture illustrating "Medium Letters" has the S well back from that point. The S on your coin is consistent with the position of the S on both the main picture and the smaller picture of the Large Letters variety here: 1834 1C Large Letter Reverse, BN (Regular Strike) Coronet Head Cent - PCGS CoinFacts.
It may be. It's probably an N-1, 2, 3, or 4, as those are all the common varieties, but still a better date nonetheless.
I'm seeing three varieties, with an S well back, one in front, and one in the middle. My coin is in the middle, which the Red Book seems to call "Medium Letters." However, what I see on the internet places the S in front for the N-5 variety.
I found this as an AI explanation on Google: Here's a breakdown of the varieties: Small 8, Small Stars, Medium Letters: N-1, N-2 Large 8, Small Stars, Medium Letters: N-3, N-4 Large 8, Large Stars, Medium Letters: N-5 Large 8, Large Stars, Large Letters: N-6, N-7 N-7 is a proof-only variety, with only a few examples known.
