Lincoln Cents

1909-S VDB ICG GRADED MS 67 RED

Lot 1422
1909-S. VDB. ICG graded MS-67 Red. A stunning example of this key date to the Lincoln Cent series. The color and surfaces are superb, full glowing mint luster with only a hint of fiery red and yellow toning around the periphery. As to the strike, it is bold, centered, complete. Similar on the reverse, blazing mint color, sharply impressed, and perfectly preserved. San Francisco ticked off 484,000 of this first year of issue Lincoln cent variety, before removing the designer's initials at the behest of newspaper accounts that the initials were too prominently placed.
Here lies an interesting story as noted in the Breen Encyclopedia: We owe the Lincoln design to a coincidence. The Lithuanian immigrant sculptor Victor David Brenner developed an obsession with the martyred President, and during the years just before Lincoln's birth centennial he modeled portrait medals and plaques. These came to the attention of Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, and probably played a part in Brenner's winning a commission to portray him on the Panama Canal Service medal. During the sittings, Brenner became a close friend of Roosevelt. The President confided in Brenner about his "pet crime" (improving all our coin designs, favoring domestic artists above Mint Engraver Barber's mediocrity), and invited him to submit cent models.
Brenner's original cent reverse copied the then current French 2-franc piece. The moment that Mint Director Leach found this out, he used the fact as an excuse to reject the new design. Undaunted, Brenner brought the Mint Bureau a new reverse on February 17, 1909; this featured two stylized ears of durum wheat (the kind used today in making spaghetti). Brenner had signed his full name on the obverse model, but on Leach's orders he removed his signature, substituting V.D.B. at bottom reverse. Owing largely to pressure from the White House, this version was approved, and the new cents appeared on August 2, 1909. Newspaper attacks on the use of the initials promptly followed, and people hoarded the new coins as souvenirs, correctly expecting that later cents would drop the initials. An alternative proposal to substitute a modest B on truncation of shoulder was so strongly objected to by Barber, on grounds then obscure, that Brenner's signature in any form was dropped instead. (After all, Barber had been using an initial B on the truncation of his silver coins since 1892, and it would not do for anyone to mistake his designs for Brenner's and vice versa.) Brenner's initials were not restored until January 1918, a convenient few months after Barber's death; the remain there today, on lower edge of truncation.
Estimated Value $4,000-5,000.

Lot 1423
1909-S. VDB. ANACS graded MS-61 Red and Brown. A lovely example of this key date issue and loaded with mint luster toning to a golden sunset hue.
Estimated Value $600-700.

Lot 1424
1912. Matte Proof 63 Red and Brown. Quite choice with a red sunset tone. A nice original matte proof cent.
Estimated Value $150-175.

Lot 1425
1915. Matte Proof 64 Red and Brown. Quite scarce as only 1150 were coined of which many were spent.
Estimated Value $150-200.

Lot 1426
1917 to 1964 miscellaneous Lincoln cents. A small box of Lincoln cents, mostly in 2 X 2 holders, with some in tubes, mostly mint state, some circulated. Put together long ago, and recently discovered. We'll guess there are 200 coins included, some dating way back to the teens, and these are BU! Don't forget to spend a moment communing with this lot, we think it will pay off once its broken up. Lot of 200 coins or so.
Estimated Value $300-UP.

Lot 1427
1918-D. NGC graded MS-65 Red and Brown. A well struck gem.
Estimated Value $300-400.

Lot 1428
1921-S. MS-64 Red. A better than average struck specimen and quite rare this choice. The surfaces are fully lustrous and light pinkish in color.
Estimated Value $900-1,000.

Lot 1429
1941 and later Lincoln Cents. A large group of Lincoln cents, 1941 to date, in partial sets, two albums included and some additional pages. Some specialized errors included like cracked skulls and filled "S" of STATES. We'll even throw in a couple of partial BU rolls of 1966 and some other mystery date and a few loose coins. Lot of 200 or so pieces, all grades, but many uncirculated.
Estimated Value $50-UP.

Two Cent Pieces

Lot 1430
1870. PCGS graded Proof 65 Red. Boldly impressed and thought to be one of approximately 1,000 struck in proof. Of course, very few of those exist in grades even approaching this, especially that retain the original mint red color. If you must find fault, there are some minor flecks starting to form, mostly on the reverse. In the old style of PCGS holder, seldom seen these days.
Estimated Value $1,400-1,700.

Silver Three Cent Pieces

EXTREMELY RARE 1851 TRIME IN PROOF

Lot 1431
1851. SEGS graded Proof 63. One of only 4 proofs known that were supposedly struck to commemorate the new 3¢ denomination. We're not sure which collection this coin is from, but it probably won't be too hard to track down. One was known in Superior's Gilhousen Sale, another in the Garrett Sale, this is likely one of those two. The fields show some minor hairlines when examined with a glass, but the coin is very choice overall. Delicate blue and gold toning surrounds the periphery, while the centers remain bright white. Identifiable by the toning, as we see no ticks or marks that would show up in normal photographs available for pedigree tracing. An important early proof issue with an extremely low mintage. Larry Briggs even signed the paper insert personally on the grading holder.
Estimated Value $5,000-UP.

Lot 1432
1851-O. PCGS graded MS-65. A superb coin for the grade, fiery orange-gold toning on both sides and well struck. A few dark areas are noted on the obverse, perhaps from an old envelope that was in contact with part of the obverse. Still in an old style PCGS holder, probably from the first year or so of their operations. The surfaces of the coin are outstanding, nary a mark to be found anywhere.
Estimated Value $1,700-2,000.

Lot 1433
1854. PCGS graded MS-64. A choice example of the type 2 variety and ideal for a top quality type set. Light natural mottled toning is noted on both sides.
Estimated Value $900-1,000.

Lot 1434
1861. PCGS graded Proof 64. Delicate greyish and light violet toning adds to its appeal. Scarcer than its mintage of 1000 would suggest, as not all struck were sold by the mint.
Estimated Value $425-500.

Lot 1435
1871. PCGS graded Proof 64. Deep iridescent midnight toning on both sides. A total of 960 struck.
Estimated Value $425-475.