Auction Name: 2026 January 8 US Coins Signature Auction - FUN Special Sessions: Ellsworth & Jacobson

Lot Number: 2078

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/1389*2078

1794 1C NC-11 R7 Head of 1794 VG10 PCGS. Dark steel and olive brown with lighter steel brown inside the wreath. Covered with fine to moderate roughness but void of verdigris or significant contact marks. The only marks, and they are barely visible, are a tiny planchet chip right of the Y in LIBERTY, a similar mark on the eye, and a tiny rim nick under the 9. EDS (the only die state known). The two small lumps at LI seen in the earlier marriages of this obverse die (NC-8, S-25, & S-26) are still visible. Only seven examples of this die marriage are known today. The first example was identified by James H. Young in 1995, the second by James Young, Jr. (no relation) in 1997, and five more since then. All are in low grade and have significant defects. The cataloger's EAC grade for this example is VF25+ sharpness net VG8, tied for CC#1 honors. Noyes photo #68185. Not seen by Bland. It is the sharpest example of the variety and our census of the known examples is 8(2)-7-5-4-3-1. The other VG8 example was offered as lot #41 in the 9/6/2009 auction of the Daniel W. Holmes, Jr., collection (Goldbergs held in association with McCawley & Grellman Auctions) where it brought $26,450. The Holmes coin is not quite as sharp as the one offered here, and it is porous with scratches and rim dents. In our opinion the piece offered here is slightly the finer of the two. A great opportunity for the collector who wants them all. The attribution and COL Ellsworth Collection provenance are noted on the PCGS Gold Shield label (35681.10/35082532).
Ex Chris McCawley-Greg Hannigan 1/2011-Adam Mervis, Heritage Auctions (2014 FUN Convention Sale) 1/10/2014:2447 ($22,325)-COL Steven K. Ellsworth.

The Adam Mervis Large Cent Collection auction, held by Heritage on January 10, 2014 at the FUN Convention in Orlando, represented one of the most significant offerings in the history of U.S. large cent collecting. Mervis achieved the extraordinary feat of completing all 295 Sheldon-numbered varieties, along with nine additional sub-varieties, a task accomplished by only a handful of collectors. His cabinet also included an impressive representation of the "Non-Collectibles," with 39 coins covering 35 of the 53 recognized NC varieties. Among the highlights were legendary rarities such as the 1795 S-79 Reeded Edge cent, both known Strawberry Leaf varieties (including the unique NC-2), and the unique 1794 NC-10 Head of 1794. The 1794 large cents alone comprised every variety and sub-variety, making this just the third time in auction history that a complete set of the 69 pieces had been offered.

Beyond early dates, the Mervis Collection extended into Middle Date and Late Date cents with remarkable depth and quality. It contained condition census and finest-known examples such as the 1818 N-4 Coronet cent, an important proof 1838 N-11, and the finest of seven known 1849 N-25s. Error specialists found rarities such as a twice-struck 1798 S-149 cent and a dramatic brockage of the famous 1817 15-stars obverse. With many coins tracing pedigrees to past luminaries such as Naftzger, Holmes, Reiver, and Halpern, the Mervis sale not only showcased the pinnacle of variety collecting but also preserved a long lineage of provenance. The auction underscored Mervis's status as one of the foremost large cent collectors of all time, and Heritage's presentation ensured its legacy as a landmark sale in the numismatic field.

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