Feb. 16, 2001, The Benson Collection Part 1, Sale 8

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Cents

Coronet Type

Lot 526 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Petite head. Newcomb-8, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded AU-55. Sharpness of mint state but in the dentils over star thirteen are two nicks. Elsewhere on the obverse are a couple of microscopic defects and above the head are two darkish spots. Medium chocolate brown.
Estimated Value $350-600.

Lot 527
1839. Petite head. Newcomb-8, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded VF-20. Sharpness of Very Fine-30 but lightly burnished and nicely retoned to medium light brown.
The surfaces on both sides appear to have been burnished, probably to remove corrosion or other circulation problems. A few minor scratches are noted in the denticles on the lower reverse. The devices now have a satiny appearance from the cleaning. Color photo.
Estimated Value $30-50.
Ex: Ira S. Reed 8/21/44 as "Unc." $6.50.

Lot 528 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Silly head. Newcomb-9, Rarity-1. NGC graded MS-65 Brown and Del Bland graded MS-60. Del Bland graded MS-60 despite two tiny nicks, one below 9 and one midway between the date and star thirteen. Attractive medium chocolate brown with traces of mint red around many reverse devices. A common coin but very nice.
Estimated Value $800-1,000.

Lot 529 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Booby head. Newcomb-10, Low Rarity-3. Del Bland graded AU-55. With a tiny planchet defect below the first A in AMERICA. Choice lustrous medium chocolate brown surfaces with faint traces of a lighter brown color obviously faded from mint red. Diligent searching can locate faint abrasions here and there and on the left reverse edge are four tiny nicks. Well struck and centered.
Estimated Value $700-1,000.
Ex: Superior Galleries 10/2000:1424.

Lot 530 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Booby head. Newcomb-11, Rarity-1. PCGS graded MS-64 Red and Brown and Del Bland graded MS-62. Exquisite medium chocolate brown and mint red surfaces, quite well struck and centered and flawless except for a small carbon spot touching the nostril. This is one of the nicest examples to appear at auction in recent years.
Here is an outstanding example of the popular Booby Head variety. The mint color is very appealing, and the surfaces are pristine. As to the carbon spot near Liberty's nose, it is small and not too distracting.
Estimated Value $500-750.
Ex: James G. Macallister 6/6/44 as "A5 Unc." at $5.00.

Lot 531 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Booby head. Newcomb-11, Rarity-1. NGC graded MS-64 Brown and Del Bland graded AU-50. Nearly mint state in sharpness but at the junction of the forehead and curl is a spot of raised dark red corrosion and between stars two and three is a small carbon spot and a minor scratch. Medium light chocolate brown.
Estimated Value $450-550.

Lot 532 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Booby head. Newcomb-11, Rarity-1. PCGS graded AU-58 and Del bland graded EF-45. Medium chocolate brown with very small nicks at the right side of star eleven and below star eight. Well struck and centered.
This is a really lovely Booby head cent, the color is even and choice, and the surfaces show few signs of contact and only a touch of circulation. Well struck on the stars and Liberty's curls, and an important Guide Book variety.
Estimated Value $250-400.
Ex: James G. Macallister, circa 1944 as "A5 Unc." for $7.50.

Lot 533 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1839. Booby head. Newcomb-14, Rarity-3. Del Bland graded EF-40. With a small planchet defect in the hair. Sharpness of AU-50 with two very lightly porous areas on the lower right obverse and more in areas of the reverse. Also, on the face are two very small nicks. Dark steel brown, lighter on the reverse.
Estimated Value $300-500.

Lot 534 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1840. Small date. Newcomb-1, Rarity-2. Del Bland graded MS-60. Frosty light brown with minor specks of verdigris at star ten, a tiny nick near the end of the nose and a couple of faint abrasions above the head. Early to middle die state. NGC graded MS-64 Brown but broken out of that slab.
Estimated Value $650-1,250.
Ex: Rodney T. Grove; Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling; Auction '81 (Superior Galleries session):559; unknown, M & G Auctions 9/97:255.

Lot 535 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1840. Small date. Newcomb-3, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded MS-63. Deeply glowing mint red toning to brown. Sharply struck with all stars showing their radial lines. Magnification reveals some almost invisible hairlines throughout the obverse and tiny dark spots at the denticles left of star five and touching the end of the nose. Fourth Finest Known. Intermediate die state.
Scrutiny reveals that the fields do have a scattering of hairlines, but most of the mint red is intact. The faint die crack is visible through the upper digits of the date into the stars in both directions. A very pretty cent for the connoisseur.
Estimated Value $400-600.
Ex: James G. Macallister, circa 1944 as "Unc. Red" at $15.

Lot 536
1840. Small date. Newcomb-4, Low Rarity-3. Del Bland graded AU-50. Formerly thought to be an overdate but instead the defects below the date are not the remnants of 1839, but something else. Medium chocolate brown with a few handling marks, mostly on the obverse, visible with a glass. Early to middle die state.
Estimated Value $325-450.

Lot 537 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1840. Large date. Newcomb-8, Rarity-1. PCGS graded AU-58 and Del Bland graded EF-40. Five points sharper with clean, dark chocolate brown surfaces but far left of star eleven is a very small rim cut and around the edge are a few hidden nicks into raw copper. Intermediate die state.
The rim nicks are now hidden by the PCGS holder. Excellent color and surfaces for the grade, the curls on Liberty show separation between even the highest design elements, showing how little wear this coin received. On the reverse, we note a slightly darker area on TA of STATES.
Estimated Value $100-150.
Ex: B. Max Mehl M.B.S. #106 6/45:1860 as "Unc---. From Dr. French Collection...." $7.75.

Lot 538
1840. Large date. Newcomb-8, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded EF-40. With a small planchet defect on the rim over the second S in STATES. Nearly ten points sharper but cleaned and nicely retoned to a light steel tan color.
Estimated Value $100-250.

Lot 539 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1841. Newcomb-4, Rarity-2. Del Bland graded MS-60. With small planchet laminations on the rim over TED and over N in ONE. Beautiful iridescent medium steel brown surfaces completely free from an post striking defects. Late die state.
Estimated Value $400-600.
Ex: McCawley & Grellman Auctions 1/96:479.

Lot 540 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1841. Newcomb-6, Rarity-1. PCGS graded MS-62 Brown and Del Bland graded EF-45. Medium dark chocolate brown surfaces with a few small nicks, three of which are in the right obverse field, however all are quite well hidden in the patina. Earlier die state and well struck.
We also note a very minor spot at the left foot of the N of UNITED, but the surfaces are very nice for the grade(s) assigned.
Estimated Value $200-300.
Ex: A New York Consignment--B. Max Mehl M.B.S. #107 11/45:2074 at $7.35.

Lot 541
1842. Small date. Newcomb-1, Rarity-2. Del Bland graded EF-40. Sharpness of AU-50 but cleaned and attractively retoned to medium steel brown with several minute nicks around OF A.
Estimated Value $150-300.

Lot 542 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1842. Small date. Newcomb-2, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded AU-50. The quality of Mint State-62, but above the second hair bun is a pit mark, the result of the removal of some sort of defect and in the right obverse field are some nearly invisible abrasions. Medium chocolate brown and mint red. Later die state, but before the reverse die cracked.
This coin really has an outstanding appearance, with a smooth, undiminished cheek on Liberty and immaculate fields. The small spot at the top of Liberty's hair bun was carelessly removed, back when such things were not that important. Far better than the description sounds.
Estimated Value $150-300.
Ex: James G. Macallister, circa 1944 as "Unc. Red" for $10.

Full Mint Red 1842 N-6 Cent, Tied For Second Finest Known

Lot 543 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1842. Large date. Newcomb-6, Rarity-1. NGC graded MS-65 Red and Brown. Full subdued mint red, the surfaces beginning to tone to brown, with a streak of carbon up from the bridge of the nose. A glass reveals some microscopic abrasions on the obverse and on the dentils over OF is a light scrape, mentioned for the sake of accuracy. Tied for the second finest with possibly two others.
A fabulous coin with a pedigree to match, bid high if you expect to capture this prize.
Estimated Value $1,000-1,500.
Ex: James G. Macallister: Milton A. Holmes; Stack's 10/60:1608; Gene Reale; Bowers and Merena 8/95:20 Gene Reale; Sotheby's New York #7083 1/98:68; Chris Victor McCawley (CVM).

Lot 544
1842. Large date. Newcomb-8, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded VF-20. With tiny low spots on the jaw, neck and around the eye. Sharpness of Very Fine-35, but opposite the mouth and above the head are small nicks and through the left obverse field is a very long hairline scratch. Cleaned and retoned to a light steel blue and golden tan color. Late die state.
We also note a minor planchet flaw, or struck through area on the TE of UNITED. Nice in appearance, and much better than we make it sound.
Estimated Value $10-20.
Ex: James G. Macallister, 5/28/45 as "Unc." at $5.

Lot 545 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1843. Petite head, small letters. Newcomb-3, High Rarity-3. PCGS graded AU-58 and Del Bland graded EF-40. Five points sharper but cleaned and retoned to a light steel tan color. On each side are a couple of minuscule nicks. Late die state.
The obverse die shows flow lines and wear around Liberty's face and the denticles on both sides lack the crispness of an early die state. Nice surfaces and color, with only a hint of wear on the upper curl tips.
Estimated Value $100-150.
Ex: James G. Macallister 6/6/44 at $4.

Lot 546
1843. Petite head, small letters. Newcomb-3, High Rarity-3. PCGS graded AU-53 and Del Bland graded VF-20. Sharper by five points but between stars one and two is an edge dent, over C in CENT is a nick and below the ribbon are two very small edge dents. Darkish chocolate brown. Earlier die state.
The edge dent is pretty minor, and is now hidden by the PCGS holder. Clean surfaces and with nice, even color on both sides. Well struck, with each star showing radial lines and with full curls on Liberty. A scarce and popular variety with collectors.
Estimated Value $100-150.
Either from "Grandfather" or Ira Reed at a cost of $10 a long time ago....

Lot 547 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1843. Obverse of 1842, reverse of 1844. Newcomb-4, Rarity-1. NGC graded MS-64 Red and Brown and Del Bland graded MS-63. Full original red mellowing down to brown and completely free of abrasions other than two microscopic nicks on the lower chin. A choice and highly attractive example of this popular type coin.
Estimated Value $5,500-6,500.

Lot 548
1843. Petite head, large letters. Newcomb-4, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded EF-45. Sharpness of AU-50 but at K3 and K7½ on the obverse are small edge dents and over the second T in STATES is a tiny rim mark. Medium dark steel brown.
Estimated Value $225-400.

Lot 549 Click on photo for enlarged version Click on photo for enlarged version
1843. Petite head, large letters. Newcomb-4, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded VF-30. Medium dark chocolate brown with a minor scratch right of star five, lighter ones between stars three and four and a few microscopic abrasions elsewhere. Intermediate die state.
Estimated Value $100-150.
Ex: Ira S. Reed 10/3/45 as "Unc" for $10.

Lot 550
1843. Petite head, large letters. Newcomb-4, Rarity-1. Del Bland graded Fine-12. A small nick in the hair, another in the lower right obverse field. Dark chocolate brown. Early die state.
Estimated Value $25-50.
Ex: James G. Macallister at $4.

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