I finally got tired of trying to ID US Braided Hair Large Cent varieties from just my printed resource publications. I've got: -- Noyes 6 volume set of United States Large Cent books (Volumes 5 and 6 for the Braided Hair series) -- John Grellman's The Die Varieties of United States Large Cents 1840-1857. On some coins I could spend ½hr to 1hr and come up with no Newcomb variety ID. So I bought the Virtual Grellman software package and had the Newcomb variety of 2 coins, one 1853 and and one 1854, in about half the time I would normally spend. I got an answer which sometimes I couldn't get previously. It's still not easy but at least I'm getting them ID'ed. And I expect the software will be a big help when I try to get serious about the large cents from the 1790's.
You Folks that know how to Id those coins, even spend the time trying I envy a bit. Braided hair cents and earlier all look the same to me, I don't have the patience. hope the software helps out.
Ditto. I'll never be one of those specialist types who delves into die variety minutiae, but I respect those with the scholarly stamina who are.
Interesting. For the late date cents, I manually do what it looks like the software does with date position. Note what I think the date position numbers are and then look at those varieties that are closest. It's usually pretty quick unless the coin is worn past VF, in which case it's probably hopeless, anyway.
I agree about the "worn" part. I try to stick to XF or better coins. And even then that may not be enough.
