The Finest Available 1794 S-34 Cent

1794 1C Head of '94. XF45 PCGS. S-34, B-20, High R.5. Bland VF30; CC-2. Noyes VF30; CC-2. Photo #39970. Our EAC Grade VF30.

Equivalents. Maris 19; Frossard 25.2; Doughty 40; Hays 28; McGirk 1-B; Ross 17-T; Chapman 13; EAC 19; Encyclopedia 1662; PCGS #901374.

Variety. Fourth and sixth locks from bottom turn upward. Single berry left of ribbon bow; lowest leaf points to final A. The obverse appears on S-32, S-33, and S-34. The reverse appears on S-34, S-35, and NC-1. Lettered Edge, leaf points up. The first of two "Single Berry" reverse dies. On each of these dies, used for six different die combinations, there is just one berry inside the left branch of the wreath beside the ribbon bow. All other 1794 reverse dies have two berries in this location.

Surfaces. The reverse appears a few points finer overall. Medium brown color with pale blue iridescence. The edge is marked "H-19" to represent the Maris number. A tiny reverse rim nick is located at 12:30.

Die State III. The obverse always has a rim break over LI with an extension to the Liberty cap, and this example is cracked entirely through the top of the cap. The crack is heavy, and has the appearance of a retained cud. The reverse, rotated slightly counterclockwise, is uncracked, but with light clash marks.

Appearances. The obverse and reverse are illustrated in Frossard-Hays, Boka, and Noyes (2006). The obverse is illustrated in Morley, according to Bland, apparently the VF35 example. Although the Breen Large Cent Encyclopedia plate coin is identified as this specimen, the plate actually depicts the finest known example, which has since been recovered by the ANS.

Census. The finest example available to collectors and the second finest known, behind a slightly better coin that was recently returned to the ANS.

Commentary. The single berry feature is shared by two reverse dies, which are well known among large cent collectors, who love to cherrypick any example they can find. All six varieties from the two dies are rare, each rated Rarity-5 or higher. In 1949 Sheldon noted that S-34 was rarer than S-33 with just six examples known. Today somewhat more than 30 are known.

Provenance. Dr. Thomas Hall; W.W. Hays; Dr. Thomas Hall (9/1909); Virgil M. Brand (2/1941); B.G. Johnson (St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co., 9/1943); Oscar Pearl (Numismatic Gallery, 1944 FPL), lot 45, $95; Dr. William H. Sheldon; ANS (1/2001); R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (2/2001).

Personality. William Wallace Hays was a 19th century collector of coins, stamps, autographs, and old china. He was born on June 7, 1821, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania and died there on July 9, 1899. Hays was employed by the Pension Office in Washington, D.C. His reference on 1794 large cents, Varieties of United States Cents of the Year 1794, was published in 1893. Co-authored by Ed. Frossard, it became the standard reference for many years, quickly replacing the Maris reference on 1794 cents and Frossard's 1879 Monograph on the early coppers. Hays collected 1794 cents and marked the edges of each with Maris numbers in white ink. (#35567)

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