The "Penny" Date Set, 1796 and 1797

With a mintage of 897,510, the 1797 cent is a fairly common date, but as most collectors learn, anything dated before 1800 is challenging. This is an S #138. PCGS graded this one EF-40.



I had a better 1797 cent in my type set at one time, but when tried to have it graded, the TPG body bagged it on me. I sold it raw in an EAC auction, so it didn't matter. Later I saw the same coin in a PCGS holder. This is an S-139. It is rated as among the ten finest known for the variety. Overall it's common and rated as an R-1.



The 1798 cent is the most common date prior to 1800. The mintage was 1,841,745. This one is graded AU-53.



This 1798 cent is an example of Sheldon variety #179. It is an example of the “style 2 hair.” The most obvious difference is the extra curl that is in back of Ms. Liberty’s shoulder. A quick comparison with the 1797 cent, shown above, will show the difference.