1804 Crosslet 4, Stems, B-1, C-1, R.3, MS64 Brown PCGS. Our EAC Grade MS60....

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1804 B-1, C-1 Half Cent, MS64 Brown
High Condition Census
Ex: Showers Collection and Missouri Cabinet

1804 Crosslet 4, Stems, B-1, C-1, R.3, MS64 Brown PCGS. Our EAC Grade MS60. Equivalents. Ross 2-B; Gilbert-6; Empire-37; Cohen-1; Breen-1; Bowers-Whitman 1; Eckberg 2-B.
Rarity. R.3. The estimated population of 250 to 400 examples per the Bowers-Whitman Guide Book places the rarity in the lower to middle range of the R.3 rating. Eckberg estimates that 550 to 600 examples survive, indicating a High R.2 rarity rating.

Obverse 1 appears on Breen-1 and 4. The Crosslet 4 in the date is high and nearly touches the drapery that has a small indentation to make room for that digit. The 1 is close to the hair above, and closer to the hair curl. Slight recutting appears under the serif of the 1 and below the left end of the crossbar of the 4. In LIBERTY, IB are close at their bases, R is slightly high and missing its inner left base, and the left sides of T and Y are doubled.
Reverse A is the die previously described as 1803 Reverse C. This die appears on 1803 Breen-3 and on 1804 B-1 and 3. Known as the "Cross-Eyed Zeros" Reverse as the two ciphers are extremely close and appear to touch. There are 16 leaves and five berries in the left branch, and 19 leaves and five berries in the right branch. All of the Ts are defective, missing their left and right base. The first A in AMERICA is slightly low and its right base is extremely close to the adjacent M. The F in HALF has a short left base and vestigial right base.
Edge. Plain.
Surfaces. Delicate blue and violet overtones are evident on the light brown surfaces of this lovely half cent that displays dark olive and steel patina along the left obverse border.
Die State. Manley Die State 2.0 with a prominent curved crack on the reverse, the die surface above that crack sinking so that it appears raised on the coin. This is the latest die state (V) recorded in Walter Breen's Half Cent Encyclopedia.

Appearances. Illustrated at the PCGS Set Registry record of the McGuigan Collection. The Die State V plate coin in Walter Breen's Half Cent Encyclopedia. The reverse is plated on page 96 of Michael Demling's attribution book. Plated in the Goldberg's catalog of the Missouri Cabinet.
PCGS Population (5/2022). Although over 100 1804-dated half cents are PCGS certified MS64 Brown or finer, only 18 examples of the Crosslet 4, Stems type are certified as MS64 or finer. The present example is the only Mint State example attributed as Cohen-1. The next best PCGS-certified C-1 grades AU55. There is one other 1804 half cent from these dies that PCGS grades MS62 Brown, but that piece was not attributed.
Commentary. This example and the Alvord-Helfenstein-California coin are the only two Uncirculated pieces recorded in the Breen-Hanson Condition Census.
McGuigan Commentary. Lustrous light brown with darker olive toning adjacent to the obverse rim from 8:30 to 10:30. Late die state (M2.0) with a heavy crack through the second T in STATES, upper left leaf, F in HALF, extending to the leaves on the right branch of the wreath to the M in AMERICA to the rim, with a second crack from the F in HALF extending to the leaves and then to the first A in AMERICA. One of only two mint state examples known of the variety.
Provenance. Ex: Phillip Showers (Stack's, privately, 1969); Willis H. DuPont; Fred S. Werner (2/1976); Superior (2/1976); Joe Flynn & Son (4/20/1976); Missouri Cabinet (Goldberg Auctions, 1/2014), lot 59.
Personality. The Missouri Cabinet that Goldberg Auctions sold in January 2014 is acknowledged as the finest and most complete half cent collection ever formed. The collection was formed by Bernard Edison (1928-2017), known in the numismatic community as R. Tettenhorst. His first cousin was Evelyn Edison who married Eric P. Newman.
From The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 222F, Variety PCGS# 35140, Base PCGS# 1069, Greysheet# 80877)

Weight: 5.44 grams

Metal: 100% Copper

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