1804  C-7  R4  VF25+.  Spiked Chin.   Choice glossy chocolate brown.  The only marks are a tiny rim nick at TE in STATES and another just right of the fraction.  Otherwise this piece is choice and virtually flawless.  Extremely rare E-MDS, Manley state 3.0.  Cracked through the top of OF to the dentils on either side, plus a faint crack through the top of MER.  Ex Martin F. Kortjohn, Stack’s 10/19/79:561-Richard Gross (The Baltimore Collection)-Dr. Wallace Lee, M&G Auctions/Superior 5/25/03:188-Ed Fuhrman 2/28/06-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.  Close to VF30.

 
1804  C-8  R1  MS63.  Spiked Chin.   Frosty steel brown with lots of lustrous golden tan faded down from mint color in protected areas and speckles of darker steel brown toning on the reverse.  A very small carbon spot on the knob of the 2 in the denominator and a tiny planchet chip in the dentils at D-S are the best identifying marks, neither distracting at all.  MDS, Manley state 3.0 early.  Removed from an NGC slab graded MS63RB (#100446-002) with a population report of 2/0 at the time.  PCGS had not graded any Red or RB examples as of that date.  Ex a Bostonian Collection, Bank Leu Ag Zurich, Switzerland, Auction 51, 10/24/90:1612-unknown-Jim McGuigan-Dr. Wallace Lee, M&G Auctions/Superior 5/25/03:197-Ed Fuhrman 2/28/06-Michael Spurlock.  Solidly in the condition census.

 M&G assessment:  MS60+.  Lustrous and very attractive.

 1804  C-9  R2  AU55.   Nice glossy reflective surfaces.  Close to mint state.  Very tough to locate in this grade.  EDS, Manley state 1.0 with the reverse rotated 45 degrees CW.  Ex Jack Beymer 8/1/03-Ed Fuhrman 2/28/06-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.  Very close to mint state with faint hairlines on the obverse highpoints, especially on the shoulder.  Frosty mix of medium brown and darker steel brown.

 1804  C-9  R2  VG8.  Double Struck.   Sharpness VF25 with scratches on both sides and light corrosion plus traces of greenish verdigris in protected areas of the reverse.  Rather glossy chocolate brown mixed with some darker olive and reddish chocolate on both sides.  Early die state.  Double struck.  The first impression was slightly off center and the second was centered and rotated about 10-15 degrees CCW relative to the first.  Strong evidence of the initial strike shows on both sides, including the 18 of the first date left of the second date, two faces for Ms Liberty with a shift of at least a millimeter between them, and UNITED on the rim outside the second UNITED.  Not an especially attractive piece, but the error is strong.  Ex M&G Auctions/Goldbergs 2/11/07:64-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.

 1804  C-10  R1  MS63.   Beautiful lustrous surfaces.  Tiny planchet clip.  Brown coin, but should be MS65.  Uncirculated.  A lovely example with muted olive brown surfaces and ample cartwheel luster remaining.  A small edge flaw opposite the nose indicates that the flan may have been cut from the end of the strip.  Although unknown to Breen and not in his condition census, certainly close to being one of the finest extant examples.  (Previous from the Sotheby’s lot description 1/15/98).  EDS, Manley state 1.0.  Ex Joe Maley 1947-Gene Reale, Sotheby’s 1/15/98:7 (no sale)-Jim McGuigan 3/12/04-Ed Fuhrman 2/28/06-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  MS60+.  Frosty steel brown with hints of faded mint color on the reverse.  Satiny and very attractive.  Tiny planchet clip affects the dentils before the mouth.

 
1804  C-10  R1  G5.  Double Struck.   Several points sharper with fine pinscratches on both sides.  No verdigris or roughness.  Glossy chocolate and steel brown.  Double struck.  The first strike was 10% off center to K-8 and the second was properly centered on the planchet.  The complete first date shows below the second date and UNITED STATES is visible on the rim above the second impression of the same thing.  Much more of the first strike shows on both sides.  Ex M&G Auctions/Goldbergs 2/11/07:190.

 M&G assessment:  Concur.

1804  C-11  R2  EF40+.  Plain 4 with Stems.   Close to EF45.  Glossy chocolate brown with darker steel brown toning on the highpoints and frosty medium brown in protected areas.  Just a few microscopic contact marks on both sides, none notable.  MDS, Manley state 2.0.  Swelling has weakened the wreath bow and some of the leaves.  A nice example, at the lower end of the condition census.  Removed from a PCGS slab graded EF45 (#1471057, population 3/7).  This is the Manley plate coin for the variety and his die state 2.0.  Ex Jim McGuigan-1987 EAC Sale, lot 55-Bill Weber, M&G Auctions/Superior 6/3/2002:2318-Ed Fuhrman 2/28/06:Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  EF40.

 1804  C-12  R2  MS64.  Crosslet 4 with Stemless Wreath.   Highly lustrous bluish steel brown with underlying very faded mint red on the reverse.  A gem example except for a dull, light contact mark on the jaw, a shallow planchet chip on the rim over R in LIBERTY (as struck), and a small planchet chip near the dentils opposite the neck (as struck).  The reverse is flawless and gem in every respect.  The surfaces are satiny and the luster is unbroken, even on the highest points.  MDS.  This is the Breen plate coin for the variety (the large photos).  Great eye appeal, considered by some to be the finest known of the variety.  Removed from a PCGS slab graded MS64BN (#60009057, population 4/0.)  Finest known in the Noyes/Lusk condition census (DVD).  Ex Willard C. Blaisdell-9/76-Del Bland-William K. Raymond 1976-R. Tettenhorst 10/21/97-Bill Weber, M&G Auctions/Superior 6/3/2002:2321-unknown-M&G Auctions/Goldbergs 5/27/03:1017-Tom Reynolds 8/23/05-Michael Spurlock.

 M&G assessment:  MS64 net MS62+.  Nearly gem with great eye appeal, but the spot near the dentils before the neck is a small area of very shallow corrosion.