Featured Jules Reiver- if you own one of his coins post it here

Thanks for the additional info, @halfcent1793. I have lots to learn about early copper if I decide I want to have at least some focus on it in the future! Between @johnmilton and you, I'm sure I'll learn plenty. I'm sure there are others here, too! But, I'll see what I can do about picking up a copy of this book, also. Do you have any idea of the price for the book?

In the meantime, do you have any opinion on my two coins in the OP? They might just be the start of a new interest area for me! Not necessarily Braided Hair Cents, but maybe some early american copper. I really have to learn more about EAC grading. There's such a big difference (IMO) between MS-62 and XF-45! So, if you're selling (and, I'm NOT selling these two Reiver coins anytime soon), do you list the NGC grade, or do you list the EAC grade, or both? Which would generally be more desirable to collectors, to increase the sell price? Maybe that's a loaded question.

 

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Eric,
To learn the how EAC grading works, and how it differs from the way slabbing companies grade coppers, I highly recommend you obtain a copy of this book:

https://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/grading-guide-for-early-american-coppers.html

It is out of stock at Wizard, but I know that copies are available elsewhere (I got mine from Ebay), and also from one of the authors directly.
This book is invaluable! Not only does it cover EAC grading, but also much additional information on the topic of early coppers, including Colonials.

 

The EAC grading guide is available here:
http://earlycoppers.com/product/grading-guide-for-early-american-coppers/

 

Your 1851 definitely has some wear. It would probably grade AU-something depending on how much luster remains. The 1854 looks a bit sharper to me, though it has a little bit of red and black corrosion. It would probably net grade EF or a little better. Those EAC grades are consistent with the slab grades. You can probably look online at the Heritage sale to see what EAC grades the coins were given by Heritage.

 

The Heritage Auction listed them as:

1851 1C N-21, R.3. MS62 Brown NGC. XF45 EAC. Grellman state b. Chocolate with smooth, glossy surfaces. There is a tiny dig right of star 6. There is an old, faint pinscratch under C in CENT.

1854 1C N-22, R.4. MS61 Brown NGC. AU50 EAC. Grellman state a. A short line extends right from the top of the 4. Attractive chestnut brown color with a splash of reddish patina at stars 1 and 2. A few trivial surface marks are visible on both sides.

 

Here are a couple of Brown Uncirculated Braided Hair large cents that are really Mint State.

 

I recently purchased an 1857 half cents from a Stacks auction. It is currently in a PCGS PF-63 BN holder. A bit of research and I found that the coin was previously in an NGC MS-64 BN holder, Jules-Reiver pedigree and auctioned by Heritage . The coin is easily identified by the "lint mark" to the left of the nose. PCGS did not put the pedigree on the holder. What is very interesting is that this is a B-1 variety, which is R-7/R-8 in Proof according to Breen's reference book on half cents. Note: the files attached from when it was in the NGC holder are from Heritage's website so not very good quality, but at least they are good enough to clearly identify the coin. So NGC said it was MS, PCGS said it is PF. Which is it?

 

This half is the only Reiver-pedigreed coin I have but I was happy to get it at last January's FUN show. This is the O-110 "Two Leaves" variety with reverse adjustment marks.