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1794 1C S-56 R3 Head of 1794, "Office Boy" Reverse, MS62 Brown PCGS....
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Sold on Jan 8, 2026 for:
$29,280.00
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Description
1794 S-56 Head of 1794 Cent, MS62 Brown
The Second Finest Known
1794 1C S-56 R3 Head of 1794, "Office Boy" Reverse, MS62 Brown
PCGS. Frosty dark steel brown. The surfaces are satiny and
lustrous and this cent has great eye appeal. Looks mint state but a
glass reveals a touch of friction on the very highest points of the
devices. The only marks are some pre-striking planchet chips that
didn't completely disappear during the strike. This was a result of
minor axial die misalignment (the die faces not being perfectly
parallel). The strike was stronger on the lower half of the obverse
and the opposing upper half of the reverse, and microscopic
planchet chips remain in the more weakly struck areas. A small chip
on the upper part of the cap and a tiny tick on the end of the chin
can help identify this cent. E-MDS, Breen state I, Heck state 3,
with die clashmarks on the reverse. The repunching on the right
edge of the 9 is still clear. Often referred to as the "Office-Boy
Reverse" variety due to the amateurish die cutting on that die,
most obvious at TA in STATES. Graded AU55 and CC#2 in the Noyes
census, his photo #22507. Bland says AU55 and CC#2. This
cataloger's EAC grade is AU58. This cent is plated in the 1923
Chapman reference on the cents of 1794, it is the plate coin for
the variety in the 2000 Breen encyclopedia, and the reverse is
plated in Dr. Sheldon's Early American Cents and Penny
Whimsy. Another outstanding cent that comes with a great
provenance, an unbroken line of owners for the last 150+ years. The
attribution and COL Ellsworth Collection provenance are noted on
the PCGS Gold Shield label (35630.62/13457921). The holder is
scuffed and scratched.Ex William Fewsmith, Mason & Co. 10/5/1870:797 ($4)-"Ramsey"-John W. Haseltine (privately) 1881-Joseph Hooper-Edouard Frossard #113, 10/6/1892:333 ($9)-Howard R. Newcomb, J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458, 2/7/1945:28 (UNC, plated, $75)-Willard C. Blaisdell 1975-John W. Adams, Bowers & Ruddy 1982 Fixed Price List, lot 51 ($7000)-Del N. Bland 6/28/1985-Dr. Allen Bennett 1/20/1998-Walter J. Husak, Heritage Auctions 2/15/2008:2058 ($32,200)-Larry A. Bland Collection, Early Cents Auctions 9/3/2022:517 ($32,400)-COL Steven K. Ellsworth.
The Fewsmith Collection, sold in 1870 by Mason & Co., was an early landmark auction for U.S. copper coinage. Large cents featured prominently, beginning with early federal issues and continuing through sets of nickel and bronze cents, including thick and thin planchet varieties. Notable was a selection of 18th-century colonials such as Massachusetts and New Jersey cents, as well as the famous 1837 Feuchtwanger cent.
Half cents were also offered, with early dates such as 1793 and 1794 represented, alongside later issues in fine preservation. While much of the sale included tokens, medals, and foreign pieces, the U.S. copper coins were carefully cataloged, reflecting Fewsmith's depth of study and broad approach. This auction remains historically important as one of the first public dispersals to highlight American coppers as a distinct specialty.
From The COL Steven Ellsworth Collection of U.S. Large Cents 1793-1796.
Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 223P, Variety PCGS# 35630, Base PCGS# 901374, Greysheet# 76780)
Weight: 13.48 grams
Metal: 100% Copper
View all of [The COL Steven Ellsworth Collection of U.S. Large Cents 1793-1796 ]
Auction Info
2026 January 8 US Coins Signature Auction - FUN Special Sessions: Ellsworth & Jacobson #1389 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
January, 2026
8th
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 29
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 390
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid per lot.
Rasmussen Special Edition Catalog
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