Feb. 16, 2001, The Benson Collection Part 1, Sale 8
Lot 576
1850. Newcomb-21 (Old
Newcomb-10), Rarity-1. PCGS graded MS-64 Red and Brown and Del Bland
graded MS-63. Mellowed full mint red on the obverse with a couple of very
small olive spots, mint red toning to brown on the reverse. Late die
state.
Another outstanding cent in every way, superb color, clean surfaces,
and well struck. This one shows two reverse rim breaks over TES and O A in the
legend.
Estimated Value $250-350.
Ex: James G. Macallister, circa
1945 as "Unc." for $2.50.
Lot 577
1850. Newcomb-21, Rarity-3.
Del Bland graded MS-63. With a very small planchet clip at
K8½. Full mint red toning down to brown with some olive toning above C
in CENT, the result of light carbon. Formerly N-10.
Estimated Value
$300-450.
Lot 578
1850. Newcomb-24, Low
Rarity-6. Del Bland graded VF-25. Medium chocolate brown with light
brown in the obverse fields. On both sides are a few contact marks, the worst
being over NT of CENT and around AMERICA. Middle die state. Sixth finest known
of the variety.
Estimated Value $300-500.
Ex: Purchased unattributed
on 1/30/89 by Richard V. Punchard; Superior Galleries 1/90:1066; Robinson S.
Brown, Jr.; Superior Stamp & Coin 6/98:657.
Lot 579
1851. Newcomb-2, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded MS-64. With a tiny planchet clip at K5. Full mint
red color just slightly toned down to light brown. Under magnification, two
tiny nicks can be seen around star thirteen and a trace of a fingerprint exists
around star eight, otherwise choice. Middle to late die state.
Estimated
Value $400-500.
Lot 580
1851. Newcomb-3, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded MS-61. With low areas through the lowest curl and
above the ribbon on the reverse. Immaculate dark chocolate brown surfaces with
traces of mint red around many devices. Reverse is rotated 35 degrees to the
left. Middle to late die state.
Estimated Value $275-325.
Lot 581
1851. Newcomb-4, Rarity-1.
PCGS graded MS-64 Brown and Del Bland graded AU-55. Lustrous medium
dark steel brown with a faint trace of mint red on the reverse. On the eyebrow
and on the curl behind the neck are nicks so small they are hardly worth
mentioning. Early die state.
Delightful color and surfaces, with brown
luster in the fields, and well struck for the variety. Extensive flow lines in
the fields.
Estimated Value $200-300.
Ex: James G. Macallister,
circa 1945 for $1.50.
Lot 582
1851. Newcomb-8, Low
Rarity-3. NGC graded MS-61 Brown, and Del Bland graded EF-45. Five
points sharper but numerous minute nicks, mostly on the obverse. Medium
chocolate brown.
Estimated Value $125-150.
Lot 583
1851. Newcomb-15, Rarity-4.
NGC graded MS-65 Red and Brown. Del Bland graded MS-63. With
evidence of a low area below ENT from grease and or dirt on the die. Mint red
toning to brown on the obverse, uniform brown and mint red on the reverse with
a tiny edge dent over the left side of the second T in STATES and two slightly
larger ones on the rim over D. Middle to late die state.
Estimated Value
$600-1,000.
Ex: William J. Nagle.
Lot 584
1851. Newcomb-20, High
Rarity-3. Del Bland graded MS-60. Medium light steel brown with a
thin nick between stars seven and eight and a carbon spot near the dentils
between stars twelve and thirteen which shows faint evidence of a feeble
attempt at removal. Late die state.
Estimated Value $300-450.
Lot 585
1852. Newcomb-1, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded MS-62. Slightly better but on the face is a light
carbon spot, other smaller ones are scattered around the obverse and through
the base of R in AMERICA is a darkish spot. Full mint red uniformly toned down.
Early to middle die state.
Estimated Value $300-500.
Lot 586
1852. Newcomb-18, Rarity-3.
Del Bland graded EF-45. Nearly mint state in sharpness but cleaned
and retoned to a reddish light steel color. The fields on both sides have been
scraped carefully.
Estimated Value $50-75.
Lot 587
1852. Newcomb-21, Rarity-4.
PCGS graded AU-58 and Del Bland graded EF-45. With a small planchet
lamination at the center of the reverse. Medium brown with areas of darker
brown on the upper reverse. A few tiny handling marks are visible consistent
with the grade. Early die state.
Estimated Value $75-125.
Ex: A. J.
(Alvin) Fink 12/30/44 as "A-9" $1.
Lot 588
1853. Newcomb-3, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded AU-55. Lustrous darkish chocolate brown with
beautiful surfaces and only a slight rub away from full mint state. Late die
state.
Estimated Value $125-200.
Lot 589
1853. Newcomb-6, Rarity-2.
Del Bland graded MS-60. Lovely, frosty medium steel brown surfaces
with a darkish spot at the top of the head and a minute nick below star eight.
Middle die state.
Estimated Value $250-450.
Lot 590
1853. Newcomb-10, Rarity-1.
PCGS graded MS-64 Red and Del Bland graded MS-66. With shallow low
areas on the neck and in the central reverse. Full fiery mint red just
beginning to tone with a few tiny carbon specks. Intermediate die state. This
is one of the very finest examples of a very common variety.
One of the
brightest red large cents in this sale, and certain to find many ready buyers
who search for years to locate a coin with so much eye appeal and color. Well
struck on Liberty, but the stars don't have the radial lines, as usual for the
variety. A prize for the specialist. Color photo.
Estimated Value
$2,000-UP.
Ex: James G. Macallister, circa 1945 at $2.50.
Lot 591
1853. Newcomb-10, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded EF-45. Mint state sharpness but cleaned and retoned
to a dark red and olive color with a small edge nick about midway between stars
five and six.
Estimated Value $75-100.
Lot 592
1853. Newcomb-13, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded MS-62. A point or so better in terms of quality but
in the right obverse field is a well hidden light vertical scuff mark and right
of star five is a small carbon spot. Mint red toning to brown with an olive
tone below EN of CENT.
Estimated Value $250-300.
Lot 593
1853. Newcomb-18, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded MS-61. Superb, frosty medium chocolate brown
surfaces with traces of mint red throughout the reverse, both sides smooth and
lustrous. On the rim over OF are a couple small, light dents. Middle die state.
Estimated Value $250-400.
Lot 594
1853. Newcomb-20, Rarity-3.
Del Bland graded MS-63. Fiery mint red mellowing to brown on the
obverse, the reverse medium chocolate brown mingled with a considerable amount
of faded mint red. Two tiny nicks adorn this beautiful cent, one on the jaw and
one in the field behind the neck, neither of which are readily visible without
the use of a glass. By a narrow margin the second finest known. A sharply
struck early die state.
Estimated Value $750-1,000.
Lot 595
1853. Newcomb-25, Rarity-1.
PCGS graded MS-65 Red, and Del Bland graded MS-66. Full mint red
just slightly mellowed and with the barest traces of carbon on the obverse. A
common variety, well struck and perfect for a high grade type or date set. Very
impressive.
Estimated Value $1,850-2,250.
Ex: Heritage Numismatic
Auctions 2/94:6697.
Lot 596
1853. Newcomb-25, Rarity-1.
PCGS graded MS-64 Red and Brown and Del Bland graded MS-63. With
blunt striking in the area of the shoulder and on some upper leaves as usually
seen on this variety. Close above the head is small nick and on the reverse is
a small carbon spot. Mint red toning to brown. Later die state.
Blunt
striking refers to areas on coins which are not fully struck up. Finding the
right striking pressure is a real challenge for the coining team. Putting too
much pressure on the dies results in fully struck coins, but a greatly
shortened die life, as the dies wear, break and crack much more rapidly. When
the striking pressure is lower, some design elements are often weak, such as
the stars or Liberty's shoulder, as seen in this case. Naturally, some die
varieties are better struck than others, depending on the striking pressure
used, alloys in the copper planchets, and malleability of the planchets and the
die state used at the time. As the dies wear, clash and crack, they are often
removed from the coining press and lapped or filed, which results in extended
die life, but the device relief is lowered. Coins struck from lapped dies lack
the crispness of the early strikes, and show shallow device detail. The more
coins that are thoughtfully viewed by a numismatist, the more a collector can
learn about coining techniques and the peculiarities of a particular variety.
Estimated Value $300-500.
Ex: Ira S. Reed 6/6/44 as "Unc. Red" for
$3.
Lot 597
1854. PCGS graded
MS-64 Red and Brown. Mellow mint red on both sides and quite pleasing in
appearance. Sharply impressed by the dies and with very clean surfaces. There
are some unimportant spots on both sides.
Estimated Value $225-275.
Lot 598
1854. Newcomb-3, Rarity-1.
NGC graded MS-64 Brown, and Del Bland graded MS-60. With low areas
around the curls on the neck and bust and above and below CENT. Flawless medium
dark chocolate brown surfaces. Reverse is rotated 45 degrees to the left. NGC
erroneously labeled as "Mint Error".
Estimated Value $225-300.
Lot 599
1854. Newcomb-6, Rarity-1.
Del Bland graded MS-60. Slightly better but between stars ten and
twelve is a small nick and some very light abrasions, all near the dentils, and
on the lower right reverse rim are a few handling marks. Medium light chocolate
brown with mint red around the devices. Late die state.
Estimated Value
$250-400.
Lot 600
1854. Newcomb-21, Rarity-2.
Del Bland graded MS-64. Full mint red mellowing to a medium brown
with a darkish spot at the dentils right of star five, sharply struck, the
surfaces lustrous and very attractive and devoid of any defects whatsoever
except for a tiny nick on the jaw. A superb cent. Early die state. Tied for the
second finest known with two others.
Estimated Value $550-650.
Ex:
William Yates.