This is an intriguing coin since ir appears to be a S-214, but with a reverse die state of a late III or early IV with the crack at IC to the bottom of CA, but not yet extending to the last 0 of 100. The reverse would indicate use during the S-213 marriage, but this is certainly not Obverse 1. This coin presents a challenge to the present consensus of die pairing and indicates an earlier use of Obverse 2 than previously known. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1801-Large-Cent-XF-/200904116243?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item2ec6d18813
Very interesting, and certainly not the s215 the seller is claiming it is. I agree it is obverse 2, the hair in relation to LIBERTY rules out both obverse 1 and obverse 3, the wave under E is directly in the middle, it's closer to the upright on obverse 1 and 3. On the reverse die state, I honestly don't know. Seems like die state III as their is no crack through TED visible although I wonder if there is a little bit visible between the TE. It could just be the picture quality. It's possible this coin is cracked through TED but not visible, and the second crack is still weak at this point, see Tom Deck's: http://www.largecents.net/collection/coinpics/s214.jpg It has the same weakness on the second crack, but his is cracked through TED, just weakly. I honestly don't understand the sequence for s213 and s214 from the Breen book, as he states reverse is state VIII from 213, but he lists a latter die state IX for s213. This would indicate that S213 was struck, then obverse die 1 was replaced with obverse die 2, then obverse die 1 was put back in. Maybe they were swapped out one additional time earlier in the marriage around reverse state III. But my best guess on this coin is that it's a blurry picture. Too bad the obverse has been harshly cleaned, otherwise I would pick it up.
Thank you for this information. This makes two known coins with a pairing with the reverse at state III/IV. I think this is conclusive evidence of the earlier pairing of dies 2 and A.
While it may as well be Chinese to me, I always enjoy reading the threads on early copper when those of you in the know share your knowledge of the series.
This is possible because the rev does not change between Die state VIII and IX the obv die cracked. So the reverse would be the same on 213 VIII, IX, and then 214 I. Then the rim break on the rev gets slightly larger on II. I would agree that from the images it does look like an interrupted marriage of 1A. 1A, 2A, 1A remarriage, 2A remarriage, 3A
Thanks for clarifying that for me, my head was spinning reading through all the die states for 213. What I don't understand about an interrupted die pairing here is why they would interrupt it. It does not seem like anything was done to the obverse die 1 during the interruption, it was not reground or otherwise worked on. Isn't it normally the case for these types of interrupted emission sequences that they die was pulled to be reworked?
That might have been their intent, but was returned to use for lack of time for the rework. They faced heavy pressure to produce since threats to shut down the mint were common.
