LOT #2022 |
Current Bid: $490
1794 1C S-18b R4 Head of 1793, Edge of 1794, Double Chin, AU Detail, Altered Surface, PCGS....
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Description
1794 S-18b Head of 1793 Cent, AU Details
1794 Edge Device
The Gilbert-Elder Plate Coin
1794 1C S-18b R4 Head of 1793, Edge of 1794, Double Chin, AU
Detail, Altered Surface, PCGS. The obverse is recolored reddish
chocolate brown; the reverse is a slightly darker shade of
chocolate with steel brown overtones. The obverse was lightly
smoothed to minimize microscopic porosity while the reverse is
naturally smooth and rather frosty. No verdigris, just a few
microscopic ticks on the reverse. A sharp cent with just a light
touch of friction on the highpoints, perhaps never actually placed
into circulation but stored improperly resulting in fine
environmental damage to the obverse. MDS, Breen state III, Heck
state 2, with strong die clashmarks in the left side of the wreath
but no bulge visible under the cap. Graded MS60 net EF45 and tied
for CC#8 in the Noyes census, his photo #39138. Bland says net AU50
and tied for CC#8. This cataloger's EAC grade is AU55 sharpness
net EF40. Both sides of this cent are plated in the 1910
Gilbert-Elder reprint of the 1893 Frossard-Hays reference titled
Varieties of the United States Cents of the Year 1794. In
addition this is the plate coin for the AU55 grade on page 2 in the
1979 Tom Morley grading guide for 1794 cents. One of the sharpest
examples of a 1794 cent with the Head of 1793, and it comes with an
impressive provenance. The attribution and COL Ellsworth Collection
provenance are noted on the PCGS Gold Shield label
(35513.94/44238818).Ex Dr. Thomas Hall 1898-New York Coin & Stamp 6/30/1899:434 ($24)-Ebenezer Gilbert, Jr., Thomas L. Elder 10/12/1910:3 ($31)-Henry Olson Granberg-William H. Woodin (The United States Coin Co.) 5/19/1915:85 ($108)-Henry C. Hines-Dr. William H. Sheldon 4/19/1972-R. E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr., New Netherlands Coin Co. 11/14/1973:340 (AU55, $4250)-John W. Adams-Alan J. Brotman (Numismatic Gallery)-unknown-Bob Johnson, Superior held in association with McCawley & Grellman Auctions 2/18/2001:2118 (unsold)-Fred Columbo-Ronald Cooper 11/9/2002-COL Steven K. Ellsworth.
The Naftzger Collection of Early Date Large Cents (1793-1799), offered in the November 1973 New Netherlands/Seaby joint sale, represented the pinnacle of collecting in quality, completeness, and scholarship. The 1793s were led by superb Chain and Wreath cents, carefully chosen for sharp detail and pleasing surfaces, and Liberty Caps of the same year in remarkable preservation. Among the 1794s were multiple Condition Census examples, including sharp strikes with glossy surfaces that ranked among the finest then known. The rare 1795 reeded edge cent appeared alongside high-grade lettered edge varieties, while the 1796 section included rare die pairings and Mint State examples seldom encountered. These early Liberty Cap and Draped Bust cents reflected Naftzger's insistence on originality and surface quality, setting a benchmark for the series.
The later 1790s were equally well represented, with standout 1797 cents from the famed Nichols Find anchoring the date, including coins with satiny luster and minimal marks. Rare 1798 die marriages and several 1799 cents in choice condition-among the most sought-after of all large cents-reinforced the cabinet's depth and significance. Every offering revealed Naftzger's dual goals: to build a complete series by die variety and to select only coins of the highest technical and aesthetic standard. This emphasis made the 1973 auction one of the most important dispersals of early date large cents in the 20th century, a sale that has remained an essential reference point for copper specialists ever since.
Auction Info
2026 January 8 US Coins Signature Auction - FUN Special Sessions: Ellsworth & Jacobson #1389 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
January
8th
Thursday
5:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
January
8th
Thursday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
13 Days
13h 18m 22s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 11
Lot Tracking Activity: 30
Page Views: 231
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 2 -
Signature® Floor Session - The COL Steven Ellsworth Collection of U.S. Large Cents 1793-1796 (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 2001-2099) - 6:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, January 8, 2026 (7:00 PM Eastern Time).
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
Exhibition Viewing Times, Title Page, Floor Session and License Information
Additional Location Info:
Orange County Convention Center
North/South Building
9400 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32819
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