1808  C-3  R1  AU58.  Rotated Reverse.   Choice glossy example for this variety.  Very nearly mint state.  The obverse is a dark reddish brown while the reverse is a light reddish brown.  Some of the letters and devices on the reverse have toned to a darker steel brown.  There are a few very light handling marks on the obverse and reverse that are visible under a loupe.  There is a small nick at the base of the chin.  Manley state 2.0.  The reverse is rotated 165 degrees CW from a normal head-to-foot orientation.  Removed from an NGC slab graded MS62BN (#1846191-004, population 1/4).  Ex Bowers & Merena ANA Sale, 4/7/2005:21-Chris McCawley 5/5/05-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.  Great eye appeal, very close to mint state.  The obverse is frosty steel brown and chocolate with traces of very faded red in protected areas.  The reverse is frosty light to medium brown with steel brown highpoints.

 1809  C-1  R4  F15+.   Brown with blue-green tones from an old recoloring.  Smooth surfaces.  Some minor circulation marks and hairlines.  A pair of old, fairly heavy scratches on the reverse as follows: from the berry under the final S in STATES to the leaves under U; from dentils above T in UNITED to under right foot of T in CENT.  Die state II.  Tied for CC#6.  It placed 5^th in the 2004 EAC Half Cent Happening for the variety.  Ex Jim Young-Chris Young, 1998 EAC Sale, lot 63-unknown-Chris McCawley-Russ Butcher (via Chris McCawley) 5/22/06-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.  VF30 net F15+.  Lightly cleaned and recolored glossy steel and light olive brown.  Great eye appeal except for the two reverse scratches.

 1809  C-2  R3  EF40.   Sharpness near AU50 but the reverse is covered with microscopic pinpricks, none visible without a strong glass but far too many to ignore.  Dark chocolate brown.  Very sharply struck Manley state 2.0.  Ex Ray Rouse 4/30/07-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.

1809  C-3  R1  G5.  Double Struck.   This 1809 half cent is in VF20 condition but is corroded and cleaned.  If it were to sell as an ordinary regular issue specimen it would grade net G/VG with a marker value around $60.  However, this half cent has been struck twice.  The first strike was only a partial impression since the blank copper planchet was not fully inserted into the coin press.  This is clearly visible on the obverse and reverse.  The second strike on the obverse obliterated the original leaving only the sunken impression of the off-center rim.  Here the arc of the first strike is visible from 12:00 to 10:00 and leaves a ridge cutting through the so-called turban-style hair, headband, and through the I of LIBERTY.  The reverse has the original partial first strike visible from 6:00 to 8:00.  What remains of the first strike are the stem of the second T in STATES and below the foot of the T the leaf blades and berry of the wreath along the rim at 8:00.  Also visible are the leaf blades and two berries below the A in AMERICA and the top of the F in HALF is found on the rim at 6:00.  Ex John Lupia (eBay huaibird) 2/23/07-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  F12 net G6.  Dark olive with coppery tan highpoints.  Lightly cleaned with fine granularity.  Double struck, the second impression 75% off center to K-11.  The second strike was against a new blank planchet on the obverse side while the reverse was struck a second time against the reverse die.

1809  C-3  R1  MS63.   Lustrous medium brown with 5% of the mint red remaining.  Choice and frosty surfaces.  Manley state 1.0.  Removed from an NGC slab graded MS64BN (#1667636-004, population 13/7 for the date) and from a PCGS slab graded MS63BN (#22054391, population 16/9 for the date).  Ex Steve Fischer-Tom Reynolds (who also called it MS63) 7/10/05-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.  Lustrous steel brown with flawless, satiny surfaces, and 5% of the mint color remaining.  Great eye appeal.

1809  C-4  R2  EF40.  Circle inside 0.   AU50 net EF40.  Dark steel brown.  A well struck coin.  The diagnostics for Manley state 2.0 are prominent, especially on the neck.  Evidence of light corrosion on both sides.  Ex Don Valenziano-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.  AU50 net EF40 for uniform microscopic granularity covering both sides.  There are some very tiny pinpricks on the chin and neck.  Frosty dark olive and steel.  A very sharp strike.