A Stop at the Island of Misfit Coins

I purchased a lot of 10 copper coins that just don't have a place in a DECENT collection.

Here is the one that got me to bid. It is bent and therefore "worthless."



Now I think both sides are fairly easy to identify. But I encourage the Half Cent guys to look at BOTH sides. My initial impression (often wrong) is 1803 C-3 Obverse and 1803 C-1 Reverse,

Key Obverse Identifier - LI and ER close and ER higher than B__T for C-3.

Key Reverse identifiers - Long stems under (O)F and (A)M. Berry centered between the serif of (L)F and the leaf above it and short or no stem. Left Wreath Stem under the right side of the left upright of the U(N) If looking at it with the U up.

Let me know what you think.

 

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Well, I'm still confident on the Reverse, but there are actually only 2 Obverses, the C-3 Obverse and all the rest. All the rest do look like C-3 now so I need the info on how to tell the difference. That said, it's probably a C-1 all the way.

ps quick inventory of the rest:

1 17?? Liberty Cap with blundered Lettering, Edge of 1794.
1 1798 Draped Bust Style 2 lettering and small 8.
1 17?? Draped Bust
2 18?? Matron Heads
1 1817 Matron Head
1 1832 Matron Head
1 1839 Matron Head
1 1865 2 Cent
1 1866 2 Cent

All for about $4.50/coin. Great entertainment value.

 

I just noticed I received 11 coins, not the 10 advertised.

 

Thats epic.
I would buy them at that price all day since I'll probably never be able to afford a "decent" one

 

I'd feel lucky to find 'em at that price, even though they seem to be in pretty bad shape some are getting harder and harder to find in any condition. I say "Good Find"
BTW I've always had a soft spot for any pree 1900 copper

 

It's a C-1 Check the tops ot the TY. On the C-3 obv they re spaced well apart and on the C-1 obv they are close together. On yours they are close.

 

What good luck! There are only 4 letters visible on the reverse (STAT) and it happens to have the die break through the S identifying it as the 1794 S-26 Die State V or later.



The die Break is much more obvious in the copper.

It also appears that someone tried to pass it off as a 1793 at some point and engraved that date at the bottom.

 

What do you use for attributing half cents? I think I need to go find a book. And a good fun buy.

 

This might be a candidate for B-1/B-.50 net

 

Since I don't have any literature or reference books, I use coinfacts for comparison photos. It's a pain to have to constantly close out the disclaimer screen, but the price is right.

 

I do not know about now, but coin facts use to have issues with some dates and varieties. I have a login over at PCGS, but not a paying member. I will have to poke around some.

 

If you are wanting a book, the best one is Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of United States Half Cents 1793 - 1857. Roger Cohen's Little Half Sisters is also quite good but the pictures are better in Breen.

Abesbooks currently has three copies of Breen available, two around $50 and one at $75. Amazon has about 12 copies with used ones as low as $45.

 

The 1798 is now identified as S-181 Die State IV, though III isn't out of the question. R3

The double leaf at the top of the right side of the wreath along with a leaf almost to the left upright of M(E) is solid. The die cracks left of the ribbon, lowest curl and right of 8 confirm the obverse.

But that hole just isn't decent.

 

Any Large cent is worthy of collecting in my opinion. These coins were used and who knows where or who had them? I just love any large cent in any condition.

 

I have a 1831 that I told my kids was carried by James Bowie at the Alamo. lol I mean who can say it wasn't. I even may write that on the flip ?

 

The 1817 is now identified as N-2. R3-. The narrow date and location of the stars around the bun made the Obverse 1 rather easy. The two reverses were rather difficult to distinguish since they share many of even the unusual traits like the left leaning N(E), low (N)T and close TE. A couple of other differences cannot be distinguished due to condition. I finally made the call (Reverse B) on the die crack running between S(T) and O(N).

 

I went to work on identifying the Draped Bust after initially giving up on such a worn and corroded coin. It is now in the realm of fiction if it turns out to be that rarest of things, what I think it is initially.

The first picture is of the actual coin. The second is a fantasy creation from two different varieties which are my initial impressions of each side.

The vertical Die Break at the right of the end of the drapery upward into the field seems strong confirmation of the Obverse 28 of 1798.

The leaf under M is right near the upper upright of the M and though little detail is visible, the top of the wreath on the right appears to have two leaves and the (C)A is close to the ribbon unlike the style of 96 reverses with a leaf under M in a similar location. The DD is the only one that fits that description.

Once again I'm looking forward to comments, especially those knowledgable enough to tell me I'm all wet. I go through this frequently, so there are never any hard feelings. Knowledge is the key.





This is perhaps a better match for the Die State:


From The Holmes Collection at Icollector.com

Here it's reoriented to match the comparison coins.

 

Let me start by saying i have no experience examining die variations of this particular series, but i have some practice with other series'. Comparing your two pictures it appears C is closer to the wreath than in your 28DD...is there any way you can post pictures of other possible candidates?

The two obverse pictures do look very close though!

 

Can't say for sure. Too me when I take your picture and do a negative the two leaves near the I seem to more towards the center of the I. And the leaves by M looks too be farther past it. I just can't say for sure. Was hoping doing this the date would appear somewhat.

 

This is the only other which is close. Reverse EE. Obverse 28 known reverses are O, Z and AA.

Reverse EE



Reverse O



Reverse Z



Reverse AA (Style of 1796)