1796 No Pole, B-1a, C-1, Low R.6, MS63 Brown PCGS. CAC. Our EAC Grade MS62....

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Description

1796 B-1a, C-1 Half Cent, MS63 Brown
Condition Census No Pole
Plated in Breen and Manley

1796 No Pole, B-1a, C-1, Low R.6, MS63 Brown PCGS. CAC. Our EAC Grade MS62. Equivalents. Proskey 2: 2-A; Ross 1-A; Gilbert-2; Empire-21; Cohen-1; Breen-1a; Bowers Whitman-1; Eckberg 2-A.
Rarity. Estimates of the surviving population in all grades have changed over the years. Cohen estimated that 13 survive in 1971. Walter Breen recorded 20 examples in 1983. Bowers estimated 20 to 24 pieces in 2015, and Eckberg suggested that 30 examples are known. PCGS and NGC have certified 14 submissions in all grades, plus an unknown additional number of "Details" coins.
Obverse 1 is unique to Breen-1. All known examples have the bisecting crack from the border at 2:45 through the upper lip and across the cheek into the hair, continuing to the bottom corner of the cap and the border at 9 o'clock. This die crack (technically two die cracks) distinguish the 1796 No Pole from dateless 1795 No Pole half cents that are frequently encountered. The date is well centered between the bust and the border, and LIBERTY is also well centered between the head and the border. The date is widely spaced with the 1 perfectly formed. The 9 and 6 are from the same punch. While the 1795 No Pole obverse was the result of lapping the previously used With Pole obverse of 1795 C-1 and C-2, this No Pole die is the result of the engraver's omission of that feature.
Reverse A appears on Breen-1 and 2. The left branch has 18 leaves and four berries. The right branch has 17 leaves and three berries. The triplet inside the right branch at the F in HALF will quickly distinguish this die from any 1795 or 1797 reverse. The fraction bar slants up to the right over the closely spaced denominator.
Edge. Plain.
Surfaces. Reflective olive and steel-brown surfaces are blended with lighter tan on this impressive 1796 No Pole half cent. Weak border details on each side are directly related to the bisecting die crack.
Die State. Manley Die State 1.0. The 1796 No Pole half cent is always found with the prominent bisecting crack that is useful for authentication. That crack is heavy on this example, and weakens the border details immediately above. Note that the crack actually goes through the center of a dentil at 3 o'clock, and that dentil is sharp below the crack, and absent above the crack.

Appearances. This is the Breen plate coin on page 159 of his Half Cent Encyclopedia. Illustrated at the PCGS Set Registry record of the McGuigan Collection. This is Ronald Manley's primary illustration in The Half Cent Die State Book 1793-1857. Plated in the Anderson Dupont and TAD catalogs.
Condition Census.

MS67 MRB. MS67 Red and Brown PCGS. John Gormley Murdoch Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson, and Hodge, London, 7/1903), lot 963; S.H. and H. Chapman; George H. Earle, Jr. Collection (Henry Chapman, 6/1912), lot 3609; Colonel James W. Ellsworth; Knoedler Galleries (privately in 1923); Wayte Raymond and John Work Garrett (sold privately); William C. Atwater (B. Max Mehl, 6/1946), lot 129; Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr.; Eliasberg Estate (Bowers and Merena, 5/1996), lot 407; Spectrum Numismatics (privately in 2002); D. Brent Pogue Collection (Stack's Bowers, 2/2016), lot 3008; Oliver Jung, FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2021), lot 3978.

MS63 JRG. MS65 Brown PCGS. Richard B. Winsor Collection (S.H. and H Chapman, 12/1895), lot 1012; bought in and sold to Virgil M. Brand (journal #15328); Horace Brand; C. David Pierce; Philip M. Showers Collection (Stack's, sold privately in 1969); Willis Harrington duPont Collection; Fred S. Werner (sold privately in 1976); Superior (sold privately in 1976); Joe Flynn and Sons Rare Coins, Inc. (sold privately on April 28, 1982); R. Tettenhorst Collection; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society; Missouri Cabinet (Goldberg Auctions, 1/2014), lot 36; High Desert Collection.

MS62 MRB. MS63+ Brown NGC. An old English Collection; Stack's (sold privately in 1992); John Whitney Walter Collection (Stack's, 5/1999), lot 1705; Jon Hanson; Donald G. Partrick (Heritage, 4/2021), lot 3621.

MS62 MRB. MS63 Brown PCGS. The present example. Dewitt Smith; Virgil M. Brand Collection (journal #46558 not 9); Armin Brand (consigned to Burdette G. Johnson); James Kelly (sold privately 2/13/1941); Anderson Dupont Sale (Stack's, 11/1954), lot 1054; Dorothy Nelson (Stack's, 3/1975), lot 823; R. Tettenhorst Collection (sold privately in 1982); Jim McGuigan Collection.

PCGS Population (3/2022). PCGS has graded just 11 1796 No Pole half cents including: Fair 2, AG3, Good 4, VG10, Fine 12 (2), Fine 15, VF25, MS63 Brown (the present coin), MS65 Brown, and MS67 Red and Brown.
Commentary. Feast or famine is the best way to describe the opportunity to purchase a Mint State 1796 No Pole half cent. From 1903 to 1999, Mint State examples appeared at auction seven times (1903, 1912, 1946, 1954, 1975, 1996, and 1999). None were offered between 2000 and 2013, one appeared in 2014, another in 2016, and two examples were auctioned in 2021.
McGuigan Commentary. Choice planchet with attractive iridescent bluish-brown color. Slightly proof-like. Weakly impressed on the obverse denticles from 1:00 to 2:30 and similarly on the reverse denticles from 4:00 to 5:30, possibly the result of the massive break bisecting the obverse die. Among the three or four finest known examples of the variety. Breen plate coin (p. 159).
Provenance. Ex: Virgil M. Brand Collection; Brand Estate; St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co. (Burdette G. Johnson); James Kelly; Anderson Dupont (Stack's, 11/1954), lot 1054; Dorothy Nelson (TAD Collection, Stack's, 3/1975), lot 823; R. Tettenhorst (4/1982).
Personality. Serving many years as Eric P. Newman's mentor and partner, Burdette G. Johnson operated the St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co. He was born at DeSoto, Missouri on January 2, 1885, and died on a streetcar in St. Louis, Missouri on February 24, 1947. Johnson conducted his stamp and coin business from 1908 until his death. He handled many consignments from the Virgil Brand estate that he sold for Armin Brand, and with Newman he handled exceptional material from the E.H.R. Green estate, including all five 1913 Liberty nickels.
From The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 2226, Variety PCGS# 35095, Base PCGS# 1030, Greysheet# 80863)

Weight: 6.74 grams

Metal: 100% Copper

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