Naftzger Pg3


1818 N-8 R3 PCGS MS63 BN $ 3,250

1818 Struck from Handmade Dies $ 6,500

1819 N-3 R3 PCGS MS62 BN SOLD

1819 N-6 R1 PCGS MS64 BN SOLD

1820 N-5 R3 PCGS MS64 BN SOLD

Glossy light chocolate brown with underlying frosty luster in protected areas and hints of faded mint color bleeding through in a couple places on the reverse. A choice cent in every respect, just a hint of friction on the highest points from mint state. Sharply struck EDS with hard, slightly reflective fields. In fact Ted Naftzger added this comment to the envelope: “Proof surfaces. FK (finest known) by a mile!” Well, both comments may be a bit of a stretch, but the cent is truly beautiful. Bland says MS60 and tied for CC#2. Our grade is AU58. PCGS population 1; 1 finer in 64BN. Ex. Henry C. Hines-Dr. William H. Sheldon (traded circa 1955in a group of 77 selected Hines late date cents.)-C. Douglas Smith 5/76-Ted Naftzger Collection.

14 Stars with Continuous Wreath Reverse Design. Double Struck Obverse. Slightly sharper on the reverse but this piece has fine hairline scratches on the obverse and several dull dents on the reverse, the largest of these down from just below the E in CENT. The date and reverse legends are complete and clear except for the second S in STATES, which was obliterated by the strong reverse dent. Glossy dark chocolate brown with corrosion-free surfaces. Struck from crudely-made dies that approximate the normal Matron Head design, but there are 14 stars on the obverse, the portrait of Ms Liberty is crude and cut in very shallow relief, the wreath is continuous, and there is no fraction at the bottom of the reverse. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA begins at 1:00. That places the U in UNITED where one would expect to find the O in OF on a “normal” large cent. The obverse was double struck with a rotation of about 2 millimeters between the two strikes leaving an extra 8 clearly visible to the right of the “normal” date. The reverse is not double struck and is much sharper than the obverse, as usual, as the obverse is bulged outward on the few examples known. The dies are aligned head-to-foot, similar to the regular Federal cents, with only a slightly clockwise rotation. A strong die crack extends from the rim into the field between stars 11 & 12, and this crack has been observed on the three examples known to this cataloger (although it is strongest on this piece). It should also be noted that all three of the examples studied by this cataloger have a double struck obverse, but all show a different rotation or shift between impressions (so we know the die itself was not doubled). None of the known examples shows evidence of being double struck on the reverse. Comparable to the famous 1848 Small Date struck counterfeit cents, although far fewer of these 18181 cents are known (three known). Weight 171.1 grains, which makes this example the heaviest of the known examples. Diameter is 29.0 millimeters (See page 360 of the November 2000 issue of Penny-Wise for a discussion of this interesting and extremely rare oddity.) The variety has been known for well over 100 years. The first appearance was of a low grade example offered in the Maris collection auctioned by H. P. Smith 6/21/1886:284, and a more recent offering of a nicer example was made in a Stack’s sale 1/20/2004:2112. This example was discovered in a junk box circa 1988 and was the subject of an article in Coin World written by Michael Hodder (article included in the Naftzger envelope, and this coin is plated in the article). Ex. A junk box circa 1988-Jim Skalbe-Stack’s auction (not sold)-Jim Skalabe 11/88-Tony Terranova 12/88-Ted Naftzger Collection.

Close Stars. Frosty medium brown with darker steel brown and chocolate toning on the highpoints and upper half of the obverse. Lighter steel brown and tan faded down from mint color peeks through in some of the protected areas on both sides. The only marks are a tiny nick at the hairline right of the eye and a thin swipe of darker toning at the base of the E in STATES. LDS with a fine die crack arcing from the bust tip to the right point of star 1. Called AU50 and tied for CC#8 in the Noyes census, his photo #21524. Bland says AU50 and tied for CC#6. Our grade is AU50. PCGS Population 1; none finer. Ex. Henry C. Hines in the early 1950’s-Dr. William H. Sheldon (traded circa 1955 in a group of 77 mint state Hines cents)-C. Douglas Smith-Ted Naftzger Collection.

Very attractive lustrous light olive and steel brown with faded mint red covering the protected areas of the obverse. A few microscopic ticks on the cheek, a barely visible nick on the browlock, and a small splash of lighter brown toning on the top of the U in UNITED are the only marks worthy of mention, and they are not distracting. Sharply struck MDS. Called MS60+ and tied for CC#1 in the Bland census. Noyes says MS60 and tied for CC#2, his photo #21780. Our grade is MS63. PCGS Population 1; none finer. Ex. B. Max Mehl collection-T. James Clarke 1954-Ted Naftzger Collection.

Lustrous bluish steel brown and chocolate with peeps of faded mint color showing in protected areas of the reverse. A faint pinscratch in the field off the tip of the chin and a tiny planchet flake in the field under the hair bun, plus a swipe of lighter golden tan toning at the T in CENT into the wreath at right are the best identifying marks. The surfaces are satiny and offer outstanding eye appeal. Sharply struck EDS with an inner circle at the dentil tips from star 13 to under the 20 in the date. Called MS63 choice and finest known in the Noyes census, his photo #20632. Bland says MS60+ and CC#1 as well. This piece is the finest of only 3 examples known in mint state , and one of those is impounded in the ANS museum. Our grade is MS63. PCGS Population 1;none finer. Ex. George Massamore’s 22^nd sale, 11/1883:179-Garrett collection (John Hopkins University, Bowers & Ruddy 11/28/79:140-Ted Naftzger Collection.