1794 Cent: S-24, Apple Cheek Variety? Please grade

Hello,
This is my other 1794 cent. From an auction in Belgium many years ago. Sold as VG. I really liked the way the cheek bulges.
I have checked in many auction catalogues, and think is the S-24 variety, also called "Apple cheek variety". That fits well with the coins appearance! The surfaces are smooth, pleasant light brown colour, with a small pit on the right rim on the obverse. The reverse seems weaker than the obverse. Let me know what you think. Cleaned? and what you think it grades at.
as usual, Thanks!
Eduard

 

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I'll buy that for VG money.

To me, this is the best coin you've posted thusfar.

Nice planchet, color, surfaces, and rims. May have been recolored a long time ago, as the surfaces have a consistent color everywhere, very typical of cleaned/recolored coins -- not a huge issue for this coin, in my opinion.

I would grade the coin VF 30 sharpness, Avg+, net VF 20 -- or about $1500.

 

Nice coin Eduard! Although the rims are weak due to the wear, I believe that it might still pick up an F-12 grade!

Also, thanks for sharing another nice coin of your's with us poo folk here on Coin Talk!


Frank

 

nice coin!

 

p.s. I agree -- that is a S-24.

 

mmmmmmmm, that coin, wow

 

Eduard,

I just noticed your location and was wondering where you live in Hessen? My wife (Frau) is from Lich where Licher Bier is made! MMMMMMMM, I sure miss having a cold Import Extra Leicht Bier every now and then.


Frank

 

Mighty nice for VG ! I'm sure it's at least F-12 maybe better, at least on the obverse. Lots of detail in that hair.

Nice work !

 

Eduard,
Your coin is a solid vf-30 IMO. THe coin may have been lightly cleaned in the past, but I think it would be deemed "market acceptable" by most TPG's.

 

WOW another great coin from a great collection

 

Could well be. For comparison, here's a nice Liberty Cap up on Teletrade... I think Eduard's has more detail.

http://www.teletrade.com/coins/lot.asp?auction=2422&lot=1005&imagetype=j2

 

p.p.s. I think PCGS would grade it 20 (plus or minus 5 ).

 

Another great coin.
Thanks for showing.

 

Eduard- Nice coin! I would call it net F-15 due to the uneven wear on obverse and reverse, however it could go considerably higher. Early copper often had uneven strikes, and if this variety is known for that it could probably fetch VF30, IMO. One more consideration is the obverse "pit". As I understand it, the word "pit" is used to describe damage from corrosion, but your coin has wonderful surfaces except for the one spot so I am inclined to believe that this is a flaw in the plachet. When I collected half cents, I would overlook planchet flaws because they are not damage. In some cases they can add appeal, oddly enough.
Outstanding coins you have there- congratulations! Mike

 

I sent a copy of your photos to one of my mentors. Here's what he said:

pcgs grade: vf25+++
eac grade: vf20 sharpness, AVG, fine15

 

Gentlemen, thank you VERY much for all the information you have given me about this coin.
I am pleasantly surprised by the grade you assign to it! As i said, the obverse is quite well detailed, but the reverse is weak in some areas. So, my estimation of grade was quite a bit lower. I must find a way to get these graded by one of the services.....
With regards,
Eduard

 

FYI, the reverse "weakness", particularly through ONE CENT, is not weakness of strike, but rather wear. The dies that this variety were struck with suffered from die swelling, making ONE CENT the highest point of the coin, and thus it is the first part of the reverse to wear. It is not problematic at all on this coin.

THe weakenss through the date and the top of the reverse is a result of a misaligned die, again not particularly problematic for the knowledgable collector, although it would be factored into the price, the hit would not be significant....Mike

 

It is also weakness of strike. With the die sinking the dies were now further apart in that area and the metal had more trouble flowing into and filling the dies there, especailly when combined with it being opposite the high relief bust of Liberty. (the relief was higher than normal on the bust on this variety as well. Even high grade specimens have weak ONE CENT, at least on late die state coins. Lot 39 in the Jack Robinson sale was a choice VF-25 Die State III piece described as well centred and well struck and it was showing a fair amount of weakness in the central reverse with part of the N fading out. And the S-24 comes in three even later die states. According to Breen in Die state VI, ONE CENT is often gone even on high grade coins. The coin here appears to be either a die state V or VI. I'm thinking V becaiuse the die flaws below and the the right of the fraction are weak.

 

Well, thank you again for this detailed information. I have a lot to learn about early US cents. Very interesting how die states can influence stength of strike. I am learning a lot from you guys.
Eduard

 

As usual, I stand corrected by Conder.

Noyes says of the reverse die:

"The die was sunken a little and the center of the coin is raised, so that ONE CENT is generally obliterated if the coin is a little worn."

As Conder suggests, I suspect the weakness is a combination of die swelling causing premature wear and the area being weakly struck to begin with.

Regardless, it is not problematic on this variety...Mike