This is a beat up and corroded coin which would normally be of little interest, BUT... It is improperly described as a type of 1796 to 1807 and this is not the case. It is a Liberty Cap. Next, it cannot be either a 1795 or 1796. First the clearance between the hair and LIBERTY is too great for any Liberty Cap after 1794 and second, the small M in AMERICA was never used after 1794. Now I can't be confident on the Sheldon Attribution, but S-24 or NC-8 both appear to be possibilities. Unfortunately, I just can't do any better with the coin in this condition. I haven't even eliminated others after failing to eliminate one of these. But here is a 1794 which should be easily verified with a scale since even in this condition, it should weigh considerably more than the 168 grains of the thin planchets and have a lettered edge. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1796-1897-No-Date-Large-Cent-Type-of-1796-to-1807-/140915848503?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item20cf3d3537
hehe already on my watch list as a possible future $20 large cent set peice but i doubt I get this one (I already got lucky as heck to pick up a 1798 this month in that range. Worse I missed out on what I swear was a 1799 misslabeled as an 1898 or 99 had one bid up to the 1 minute point (mine) watched it hit $71 in about 30 last minute bids. I'll also admit I bid 60 on it myself and would have gone higher if I had had more in my coin budget this month lol.
Can you post a link to the auction? Marshall or conder can probably tell if it was a 1798 or 1799. If it was a 1799 you should have bid a lot more than 60 to win it.
This is the one oddly it says $61 now (I swear it was 71 I woulda been more peeved losing by only a buck) http://www.ebay.com/itm/150989331175?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1435.l2649 on second look it seems to have fewer bids now too...odd One more thing, being the possible big win I was thinking about, I didn't want to ask on any of the forums for fear of bringing attention to it.
Well played with it for a while, but I can't tell. I am sure marshall or conder can tell - me I think it is a 1798, but can't see it good enough to attribute it.
I was thinking one of the 99/98 varities but couldn't be sure, either way I felt it worth a $60 risk (might have gone to $100 if I had the funds, more then that would be just too much of a gamble) In the end apparently someone else felt similar and had the funds on hand
I have taken a look at it and I will not say with certainty that my conclusion is correct. It just can't be. Not only a 1799, but it looks to me like the NC-1. The only problem is the berry at the top left appears to hang down rather than point up, but this could be damage. But the leaf at RI appears to be free from the stem though. I'd certainly wait and see what Conder says. He's kept me honest before with a very discerning eye. Checking out the obverse of 98 (BB) which uses this reverse shows the HWH to be further left on the S-173 than on this one. Now you thought you were sick before...
Hold everything. It is a 1798 S-187. The die breaks match. I was trying to make it the 1799 a little too hard. http://www.icollector.com/1798-S-187-R1-Style-II-Hair-with-Small-8-F12_i8599369
