I was about to list this cent for sale, and I tried attributing it as I always do. This one has me stuck. The obverse looks just like the N-13 that Chris McCawley has for sale (heavy orange peeling around the head), but it does not have the cud. But apparently, the N-13 is actually the N-11. So is this a VLDS N-11, or an EDS N-13? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1838-N-13-R...568866?hash=item3d0687cfa2:g:~~gAAOSw~bFWJYyD
It seems to be that way: CQR lists N-11 and 13 together. One is listed as with, the other without the rim cud at K7: - Without rim cud at K7, early die state: Rarity 2 - With rim cud at K7: Rarity 4 It does not clearly say which one is N-11 and which is N-13, but I have read elsewhere N-11 is early die state. Not an expert, but I thought this would help. Your example is the variety w/o the cud - R2.
According to Noyes N-11 is the early die stage with crisp dentils. when the dentils fade and flowlines develop in front of the face and neck it becomes N-13, and the late stage of N-13 has the obv cud. Yours has the flowlines but no cud so I would call it an early N-13. (Of course N-11 and 13 ARE the same variety, just different die states.)
This is an N-11. N-13 was delisted as just an LDS for N-11. The reverse die was later used to make the rare N-15 and N-16.
