1794 1C Head of 1795, RB (Regular Strike)
Series: Liberty Cap Cents 1793-1796
PCGS MS67RB
OBVERSE COMPARISON
PCGS MS65+RB
- PCGS #:
- 1366
- 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:
- $253,000 • MS65 • 02-01-2008 • Heritage Auctions
Major Varieties
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 5 |
| 60 or Better | 5 |
| 65 or Better | 4 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-9.7 |
| 60 or Better | R-9.7 |
| 65 or Better | R-9.8 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 4 / 5 |
| 60 or Better | 4 / 5 |
| 65 or Better | 4 / 5 |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 4 / 6 |
| 60 or Better | 4 / 6 |
| 65 or Better | 4 / 6 |
Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 PCGS MS67RB
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 158 – $2,184; A.H. Baldwin & Sons, Ltd.; Dorothy I. Paschal; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 19, 1972; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr. As PCGS MS67RB #13470596. "The Walter J. Husak Collection," Heritage, February 2008, Lot 2069 - $488,750; "The Flambeau Collection"; Joseph O’Connor; "The Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation," Stack’s Bowers, January 2013, Lot 13005 - $499,375. S-67. Die State III. |
| #2 PCGS MS66RB |
| #2 PCGS MS66RB |
| #2 PCGS MS66RB |
|
#5 PCGS MS65+RB
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 162 – $1,680; Stack’s; Lester Merkin, June 1968, Lot 102 – $3,100. As "Mint State 65." "The R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr. Collection," New Netherlands, November 14, 1973, Lot 390 – $5,750; Pine Tree Auctions, February 1975, Lot 649 – $6,300; Jerry A. Bobbe; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Del Bland, January 4, 1985; "The Bertram Cohen Collection," Early American Numismatics, February 1985, Lot 532 – $32,000; Bertram Cohen;. As "MS63 or MS64." "The Andrew M. Hain Collection," Stack's, January 15, 2002, Lot 733 – $36,800; Chris McCawley; Dr. Thomas Turissini. S-69. |
#6 PCGS MS65RB
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 161– $2,296; Lester Merkin, October 29, 1977; Andrew M. Hain; Steve Ivy Numismatic Auctions, September 1980, Lot 942 - $41,700; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; Jay Parrino (The Mint); Claude E. Davis, MD. As NGC MS65RB #957212-009. "The Foxfire Collection (Davis)," sold privately, en bloc via Richard Burdick, to the Pogue Family, October 2004. As PCGS MS65RB #32189887. "The D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part V," Stack's Bowers & Sotheby's, March 2017, Lot 5099 - $282,000; Mike Chipman. S-69. |
#6 PCGS MS65RB
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 166 – $2,940; A.H. Baldwin & Sons, Ltd.; Dorothy I. Paschal; Dr. William H. Sheldon; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., April 1972; Walter J. Husak, 2001; As PCGS MS65RB #13470600. “The Walter J. Husak Collection,” Heritage Auctions, February 2008, Lot 2073 – $253,000. As PCGS MS65RB #32189851. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection, Part V,” Stack’s Bowers, March 31, 2017, Lot 5100 – $199,750. S-71. Die State IV. |
| #6 PCGS MS65RB |
| #6 PCGS MS65RB |
| #6 PCGS MS65RB |
| #6 PCGS MS65RB |
#12 PCGS MS64RB
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 159 – $2,016; A.H. Baldwin & Sons, Ltd.; Lester Merkin October 1973, Lot 255 - $8,750; Andrew M. Hain; Dennis Steinmetz; Steve Ivy, September 1980, Lot 94 - $29,000; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr. As "Gem Uncirculated (65/65)." "Auction '86," Paramount, July 1986, Lot 1517 - $20,900; Stack’s; "The Marvin Taichert Collection," Stack’s, May 9, 2001, Lot 11 - $36,800; W.M. “Jack” Wadlington, June 30, 2005. As PCGS MS64RB #13666795. "The Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, September 2009, Lot 109 - $184,000; "The Walter J. Husak Collection," Heritage Auctions, Janaury 4, 2024, Lot 2061 - $90,000; Walter L. “Wally” Husak. S-67. Die State V. |
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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