1794 1C Head of 1795, BN (Regular Strike)
Series: Liberty Cap Cents 1793-1796
PCGS MS65BN
OBVERSE COMPARISON
PCGS MS64+BN
- PCGS #:
- 1365
- Designer:
- Attributed to Robert Scot
- Edge:
- Lettered: ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR
- Diameter:
- 28.00 millimeters
- Weight:
- 13.48 grams
- Mintage:
- 918,521
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- Copper
- Auction Record:
- $70,500 • VF30 • 01-10-2014 • Heritage Auctions
Major Varieties
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 2,500 |
| 60 or Better | 15 |
| 65 or Better | 5 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-4.5 |
| 60 or Better | R-9.3 |
| 65 or Better | R-9.7 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 10 / 11 |
| 60 or Better | 4 / 11 TIE |
| 65 or Better | 5 / 11 TIE |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 11 / 12 |
| 60 or Better | 5 / 12 TIE |
| 65 or Better | 5 / 12 TIE |
Condition Census What Is This?
| #1 PCGS MS67BN |
|
#1 PCGS MS64+BN
Stack’s, 1959; “The Frank H. Masters, Jr. Collection," RARCOA, May 1971, Lot 79 - $875; Dean Oakes; As PCGS MS62BN #28173065. "The Dean Oakes Collection of Large Cents," Heritage Auctions, January 2014, Lot 5120 - $25,850; unknown intermediary. As PCGS MS-64+BN #25600869. Heritage Auctions, April 2014, Lot 5510 – $38,187.50; unknown intermediary; Stack’s Bowers, August 2014, Lot 13028 – $35,250. unknown intermediary; Heritage Auctions, February 4, 2016, Lot 3015 – $28,200; As PCGS MS-64+BN #81610289. Heritage Auctions, October 3, 2016, Lot 3013 – $24,675; Michael Gasvoda. As PCGS MS-64+BN #82418260. Heritage Auctions, February 2017, Lot 21338 – $25,850; "The Arizona Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3011 – $31,200. S-67. Die State III. |
|
#2 PCGS MS65BN
William Strickland, taken to England from the United States Mint in 1794; Charles Winn (husband of Priscilla Strickland, son-in-law and cousin of William Strickland), by sale, 1834; Rowland Winn, 1st Baron St. Oswald of Nostell, by descent, 1874; Rowland Winn, 2nd Baron St. Oswald of Nostell, by descent, 1893; Rowland George Winn, 3rd Baron St. Oswald of Nostell, by descent, 1919; Rowland Denys Guy Winn, Major the Lord St. Oswald, M.C., by descent, 1957; “English, Foreign, and Important American Coins, the Property of Major the Lord St. Oswald, M.C.,” Christie, Manson, and Woods, Ltd., October 1964, Lot 160 – $8,400; Spink & Sons, Ltd.; Dorothy I. Paschal; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 19, 1972; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., 2001. As PCGS MS65BN #13470598. "The Walter J. Husak Collection," Heritage Auctions, February 15, February 2008, Lot 2071 – $109,250; Martin A. Logies, February 5, 2011; "The Collections of Walter J. Husak and The Liberty Cap Foundation," Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2024, Lot 2063 - $87,000. S-69. Die State II. |
| #2 PCGS MS65BN |
| #2 PCGS MS65BN |
| #2 PCGS MS65BN |
| #2 PCGS MS65BN |
| #2 PCGS MS65BN |
| #2 PCGS MS65BN |
#3 PCGS MS64+BN
William Strickland, taken to England from the United States Mint in 1794; Charles Winn (husband of Priscilla Strickland, son-in-law and cousin of William Strickland), by sale, 1834; Rowland Winn, 1st Baron St. Oswald of Nostell, by descent, 1874; Rowland Winn, 2nd Baron St. Oswald of Nostell, by descent, 1893; Rowland George Winn, 3rd Baron St. Oswald of Nostell, by descent, 1919; Rowland Denys Guy Winn, Major the Lord St. Oswald, M.C., by descent, 1957; “English, Foreign, and Important American Coins, the Property of Major the Lord St. Oswald, M.C.,” Christie, Manson, and Woods, Ltd., October 13, 1964, Lot 165 – $1,736; Stack’s; As "Mint State-70." "The Dr. E. Yale Clarke Collection," Stack’s, October 25, 1975, Lot 43 - $7,000; Gordon J. Wrubel; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Robert Emmer; Del Bland; Tom Morley; John W. Adams; Tom Morley; New England Rare Coin Auctions, January 1981, Lot 20 - $13,500; Kevin Lipton; "The Herman Halpern Collection," Stack’s, March 1988, Lot 103 - $26,400; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner, March 1992; Denis W. Loring, April 22, 1995; Walter J. Husak; Scott W. Travers; Mike Chipman. S-71. |
|
#3 PCGS MS64+BN
Stack’s, 1959; “The Frank H. Masters, Jr. Collection," RARCOA, May 1971, Lot 79 - $875; Dean Oakes; As PCGS MS62BN #28173065. "The Dean Oakes Collection of Large Cents," Heritage Auctions, January 2014, Lot 5120 - $25,850; unknown intermediary. As PCGS MS-64+BN #25600869. Heritage Auctions, April 2014, Lot 5510 – $38,187.50; unknown intermediary; Stack’s Bowers, August 2014, Lot 13028 – $35,250. unknown intermediary; Heritage Auctions, February 4, 2016, Lot 3015 – $28,200; As PCGS MS-64+BN #81610289. Heritage Auctions, October 3, 2016, Lot 3013 – $24,675; Michael Gasvoda. As PCGS MS-64+BN #82418260. Heritage Auctions, February 2017, Lot 21338 – $25,850; "The Arizona Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3011 – $31,200. S-67. Die State III. |
The 1794 Liberty Cap Cent: Head of 1795 Varieties
The Liberty Cap Cent debuted in late 1793. For the initial 1793 issues, as well as the 1794 "Head of 1793" and "Head of 1794" varieties, the design and engraving are credited to Robert Scot, who was appointed Chief Engraver of the United States Mint on November 23, 1793.
Although Scot served until his death in 1823, Mint Director David Rittenhouse determined he required assistance to meet the coinage demands of Mint depositors. Consequently, the Mint hired John Smith Gardner in November 1794. Gardner was a skilled engraver whose work influenced not only the large cent but also the 1795-1797 "Small Head" Half Cents and the 1795 "Small Head" Flowing Hair Half Dollar (#6054).
Regarding the Liberty Cap Cent, Gardner refined the portrait several times before finalizing the style fully implemented in 1795. Numismatists attribute Sheldon varieties S-67 through S-72 to Gardner, categorizing them as the "Head of 1795" group. Notably, however, only Sheldon-72 (#35699) utilizes the definitive 1795 head style.
For the 1794-dated cents, three distinct head styles can be easily distinguished:
- The Head of 1793: A high-relief design carried over for varieties S-17 through S-20.
- The Head of 1794: A lower-relief design that struck up more consistently; it encompasses the majority of the year’s production (S-21 through S-66, plus several Non-Collectible (NC) die marriages).
- The Head of 1795: Notable for a stylistic change in Liberty’s hair, specifically the bottom curl looping upward. This style appears on varieties S-67 through S-72 and NC-2.
Collecting the "Head of 1795" Varieties
The Gardner "Head of 1795" varieties vary in scarcity, but all are collectible with the exception of the NC-3 (#35702), which shares a reverse die with Sheldon-72. While not all varieties in this group are known in Mint State, several die marriages are represented by the exceptional specimens brought to England by William Strickland.
Strickland departed for England in 1795; his "collection" of early U.S. coinage remained largely forgotten until it gained legendary status in 1964, when Christie, Manson & Woods offered the coins for sale as the Lord St. Oswald Collection. While the most financially significant coin associated with the St. Oswald provenance is the magnificent 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar, the collection was equally vital for providing numismatists with "time capsule" examples of various 1794 Liberty Cap Cent varieties.
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