Mint Director James Ross Snowden's Comments On Varieties

There are 187 including the plain and gripped edged 120 and 121. It is a challenging series. I've been working on it for 22 years and I've got 184 of them now. Just need 1796 S-96, 1801 S217, and 1803 S-264. Those are on my "Five I will never be able to get" list. (So far I've managed to get two of the five on my list 1798 S-144 and 1801 S-218.) Believe me I would take those three in ANY condition as long as they are attributable.

 

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Challenging may be an understatement?

The rarity of so many in the series makes it almost an impossible series to complete and I'm assuming the 187 you mentioned did not include the NC's, which are one rung above impossible to obtain. :headbang:

I'll write down the three you still need and when I spot one, I'll drop you a line. There's currently a 1796 S-113 going for over $2500.00 and that's just one of many that bring that kind of price! I doubt I'll ever get anywhere near what you have but I'm going to have fun trying!!!!

Ribbit

 

No the 87 does not include the NC's although I do have two of them as well, both of the 1802's.

I never thought I would get as far as I did either, and I doubt I could if I was starting over today ether. But it is fun to try.

 

I just picked up a fairly nice example of a 1801 S-215 this morning. I wasn't the only one that figured out what it was so it cost me a nice bit but they are hard to come by and I didn't want to wait forever for another one to show up as nice as it was, not that it was AU or anything but that variety is hard to find above a F-12, considering the damage inflicted with the clashed dies. :hammer:

Ribbit

Ps: I've added the seller's pics for reference. :kewl:

 

Is that thing supercharged? Nonetheless, handsome, Toad.

 

Here's one more DBC that helps to show how varieties work for those of us who collect them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250270803137&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015

The first thing you should note is the date is unreadable, then the second thing you should notice is there are no stems. Considering stems are the norm, there aren't that many varieties without stems, so figuring out the date and variety for this one is actually quite easy.

The first thing to do, if you don't know the stemless varieties by heart, is to go to CoinFacts and "scroll" through the dates checking for stemless varieties:

http://www.coinfacts.com/large_cents/draped_bust_large_cents/draped_bust_large_cents.html

Once you've got them written down you can go to Heritage to surf for examples to compare against:

http://www.ha.com

From there, you should be able to figure it out but warning Will Robinson, note the distance of the wreath leaves from the legend. Once you've figured it out, you can PM me with your "answer" and I'll confirm whether you got it right or not? :thumb:

Ribbit

Ps: You may ask why would anyone want this coin and the only reason you would ask that is because you have more money than you know what to do with it, but for most of us, we don't have money to burn so to get a variety cheap, even though it's not in the best condition, it makes it where we can better afford one of the more expensive varieties.

 

Start with the assumption you don't know what the variety of this one is, just that it has no stems.

Varieties with no stems
1796 NC-7 three and a partial specimens known two and a partial in collectors hands
1797 S-131 R-3
1797 S-132 R-5-
1797 S-133 R-5-
1797 S-143 R-5-
1797 NC-8 R-8+
1802 S-231 R-1
1802 S-241 R-1
1803 S-242 R-2

With five of the possibilities having fewer than 75 known specimens and two of those five having less than four known, it's definitely worth further investigation. I won't be a spoiler and say which one it is.

 

It's also a type-2 hair style.

Great list Conder! :thumb: You made it a walk in the park for them.

Ribbit

 

Yes, but I didn't point out it was a type II hair. Once you know that it's childs play.

 

Aren't varieties awesome!

Ribbit

 

According to Snowden, "NO, varieties are not awesome."

 

Sometimes, it's best for the dead to stay dead.

Ribbit

 

Rarity is the Key!