Any thoughts folks - I know this one is horrible to see details on, but you guys are amazing so I thought I would ask... This one is just very busy around where the denticles would normally be... Any thoughts as to variety would be great!!
so the 1 is touching the hair the 4 is touching the neck - teh berry across from the M doesnt have a leaf between it and the M...still looking through here http://books.google.com/books?id=PX...Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=1794 reverse nc 8&f=false
Interesting, in the 3rd picture I see the stars (?) that you circled. But, I am no expert on anything, much less copper
I believe you have half a starred reverse. ie S-24 rather than S-48. The gap between the top of the hair and the bottom of the R is too much for the S-48. The reverse ribbons appear to have the 'enclosing' look of the mid S-20s and looping above the point where the wreath bottoms join while the S-48. My quick impression is S-24, though I can't rule out the others without taking more time. But the easiest way to rule out the S-48 Reverse is the small M (width about = height) on your coin. The S-48 was the second appearance of the Large M (width > height) on the reverse (the first was on S-46). Corroded coins are very tricky and often convince you into seeing what isn't on the original die. Particularly the smallest details.
I didn't determine what the attribution is, but it isn't the S-48 starred reverse. As Marshall says the gap between the hair and the letters is too large, the position of the Junction of the Hair and Forehead in reference to the letters in LIBERTY is wrong.
Marshall - What about NC-3 - how would you identify that? I am having a tough time finding the reference points for that one...
The NC-3 has the same reverse as the S-72 and a unique Obverse (the last of what I call ALMOST head of 95s which have an almost circular bottom curl - the true head of 95 does not.). Once again it has the Large M and a triplet leaf under O as starting points.
As marshall says start with the circular curl left of the date. That's S-67 thru 71. Triplet leaf cluster below O in OF makes it NC-3 or S-72. Then look at the Junction of the Hair and Forehead. (JHF) On NC-3 it is below the center of the T, on S-72 it is below the right edge of the right foot of the T and 72 doesn't have the full circular curl. (NC-3 is the only one, S-67 to 71, where the JHF is below the center of the T, next closest is S-67.) Pictures of S-67, NC-3 and S-72 Courtesy of Goldberg Auctions S-67 NC-3 S-72
