1842 Original, B-1, C-PO3, High R.6, PR66 Brown PCGS. Our EAC Grade PR62. CAC. ...

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Description

1842 B-1 Original Half Cent, PR66 Brown
The Third Finest at PCGS

1842 Original, B-1, C-PO3, High R.6, PR66 Brown PCGS. Our EAC Grade PR62. CAC. Equivalents. Gilbert-1; Empire-92; Cohen-PO3; Breen-1, BW-1.
Rarity. The survival of this issue falls in the range of 12 to 20 examples. Breen records 14 and PCGS estimates 12 to 15. Coleman lists 18 examples and the Bowers-Whitman Guide Book estimates 15 to 20.
Obverse 1. Christian Gobrecht's Braided Hair design of 1840 (now dated 1842) is described at lot 3129.

Reverse A. Gobrecht's Large Berries reverse is described above at lot 3129.
Edge. Plain.
Surfaces. An exceptional Premium Gem proof, this sharply detailed piece has lovely chestnut-brown surfaces with splashes of pale blue toning on each side.
Die State (Sholley). An early state "Original," but not the earliest. The obverse has been polished, leaving the portrait smooth and devoid of the frost seen on the PCGS PR66 Red Cameo (certificate 09811287). Has some light spalling between stars 6 and 7 and the top of the head. The reverse has some light spalling in and around the "rough patch" above A in HALF along with some scattered lapping lines. An early 1842 strike.

Appearances. Illustrated at the PCGS Set Registry record of the McGuigan Collection. Plated in the James A. Stack catalog.
PCGS Population (6/2022). PCGS has received nine submissions of 1842 Original half cents. Those nine coins include this PR66 Brown, one PR66 Red, and one PR66 Red Cameo as the finest they have graded.
Commentary. At least five of the surviving 1842 Original half cents are circulated or otherwise impaired, effectively changing the rarity of unimpaired pieces to Low R.7. High watermark for this issue is the D.L. Hansen Collection coin that PCGS grades PR66 Red Cameo. Second best is the Winsor-Norweb-Partrick example that is now PCGS-graded PR66 Red, and the McGuigan Collection coin ranks third finest of those known to us.
McGuigan Commentary. Choice reflective iridescent bluish-brown surfaces.
Provenance. Ex: James A. Stack (Stack's, 11/1989), lot 75.
Personality. A long-time client of the similarly-named rare coin firm, James Aloysius Stack, was unrelated to the other Stack's family. He was born in New York City on October 12, 1887 and died on February 7, 1951. He was employed at the Lincoln National Bank and the National Bank of Commerce, and was president of the Seekunk Lace Company from 1930 to 1951. Stack was a collector of U.S. coins and currency that appeared in various auctions between 1975 and 1994. His name appears in the provenance of many important rarities, including the H.R. Lee (Eliasberg duplicates) specimen of the 1894-S Barber dime that he acquired in 1947. He purchased a number of important currency lots from the Grinnell sales in the 1940s.
From The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection. (Registry values: P5)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26Z7, PCGS# 1260, Greysheet# 594)

Weight: 5.44 grams

Metal: 100% Copper

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