OVERDATE DETAIL
PCGS XF45BN
- PCGS #:
- 1446
- Designer:
- Robert Scot
- Edge:
- Plain
- Diameter:
- 28.00 millimeters
- Weight:
- 10.89 grams
- Mintage:
- 42,540
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- Copper
- Auction Record:
- $89,125 • F15 • 01-01-2005 • Heritage Auctions
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 200 |
| 60 or Better | |
| 65 or Better | |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-7.0 |
| 60 or Better | R-10.1 |
| 65 or Better | R-10.1 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 5 / 40 TIE |
| 60 or Better | 1 / 40 |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 40 |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 5 / 40 TIE |
| 60 or Better | 1 / 40 |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 40 |
Condition Census What Is This?
#1 PCGS AU58
Joseph Mickley; Colonel S. Ellsworth; "The High Desert Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). |
| #2 PCGS AU53 |
|
#3 PCGS XF45
E.F. Kuithan; “The E.F. Kuithan, Esq. Collection,” Ed. Frossard, June 1883, Lot 255; T. Harrison Garrett Collection, via George Massamore; Robert and John Work Garrett, by descent, 1888; Robert Garrett interest to John Work Garrett, 1919; transfer completed, 1921; John Work Garrett to The Johns Hopkins University, by gift, 1942; “The Garrett Collection, Part I,” Bowers and Ruddy, November 1979, Lot 92 – $4,200; Denis W. Loring; Norman W. Pullen, by sale, March 1980; George Cores Collection, by sale, April 1981; Thomas D. Reynolds; Denis W. Loring, by sale, July 1993, via Robert W. Everett; Allan Kollar Collection, by sale, October 1994; Superior Galleries and McCawley/ Grellman, May 2005, Lot 1020; Daniel W. Holmes, Jr.; “The Dan Holmes Collection, Part I,” Ira and Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, September 2009, Lot 349; D. Brent Pogue Family. As PCGS XF45 #32219413. Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, March 31, 2017, Lot 5111 – $164,500; Dell Loy Hansen; "The D.L. Hansen Half Cents & Cents / Major Varieties and Proof (1793-Present) Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). |
#4 PCGS XF40
Lyman H. Low, June 1897, Lot 656 - $225; "The George W. Rice Collection," St. Louis Stamp & Coin Co., April 13, 1906, Lot 1006 - $220; Henry C. Hines, 1945; Dr. William H. Sheldon; Sheraton Coin Co., "The 1947 ANA Convention Auction," Numismatic Gallery, August 23, 1947, Lot 850 - $500; Harold E. Whiteneck; Dr. James O. Sloss, September 1958; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr., Abe Kosoff, October 21, 1959, Lot 47 - $3500; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; Robert Gildred; C. Douglas Smith; Denis W. Loring; Robert R. Shaw; J.J. Teaparty; Bertram Cohen; "The J. R. Frankenfield Collection," McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Superior, February 17, 2001, Lot 443 - $39,100; unknown intermediaries; High Desert Collection; Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth, in trade for the finest known example of the S-188, December 2004. As PCGS XF40 #26401319. "The Col. Steven Ellsworth Collection of U.S. Large Cents, 1796-1814," Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2025, Lot 2110 - $150,000. |
#4 PCGS XF40
Dr. George P. French; B. Max Mehl 1929 Fixed Price List, Lot 232; Henry A. Sternberg, August 1930; T. James Clarke, 1944; B. Max Mehl; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; "1958 ANA Convention Auction," Abe Kosoff, August 1958, Lot 518; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; "The James O. Sloss Collection," Abe Kosoff, October 1959, Lot 49; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; "The Admiral Bitler Collection," A-Mark Coin Co., March 1973, Lot 136; Abe Kosoff; Mike Kliman, August 8, 1983; "The Douglas F. Bird Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, February 2020, Lot 65. As PCGS XF40 #41069316. Heritage Auctions, January 14, 2022, Lot 4570 - $117,000. As PCGS XF40 #53980378. |
#6 PCGS VF35
Dr. William H. Sheldon, 1936; Morton Stack; unknown intermediaries; Harmer Rooke, August 1970, Lot 200; William Anton; Joe Flynn; John R. Grellman, 1976; Denis Loring, 1985; "The Jack H. Robinson Collection," Superior, January 1989, Lot 395 - $13,200; Denis Loring; Dr. Eugene Sherman; Bowers and Merena, October 2000, Lot 119 - $48,300; "The Walter J. Husak Collection," Heritage Auctions, February 15, 2008, Lot 2191 - $48,875. |
| #7 PCGS VF30 |
|
#8 Est. VF25
“The William Cutler Atwater Collection,” B. Max Mehl, June 11, 1946, Lot 25 – $237.50; Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr.; As PCGS VF25 #4992288. “The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection,” Bowers and Merena, May 1996, Lot 509; Stack’s, July 30, 2009, Lot 123 – $31,625; “The Adam Mervis Large Cent Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2014, Lot 2699 – $70,500; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3027 – $52,800. |
#9 PCGS VF20
|
#9 PCGS VF20
New England Collection; "The Frederic W. Geiss Collection," B. Max Mehl, February 1947, Lot 48 - $400; Judge Thomas L. Gaskill, 1947; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 19, 1972; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner, March 20, 1992; "The Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection," Superior, January 1996, Lot 257. EAC Auction, May 1996, Lot 149. As NGC F15BN #508712-001. "The Wes Rasmussen Large Cent Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 13, 2005, Lot 3218 - $89,125. As PCGS VF20 #06598241. |
|
#9 PCGS VF20
“The Lindesmith Collection,” New Netherlands Sale #50, April 1957, Lot 1121; possibly to Bebee Stamp and Coin; Tom Reynolds; Harry Laibstain, Baltimore, 2003. As PCGS VF20 #21535130. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1031 – $36,000. |
The 1799 Draped Bust Cent comprises three known varieties, two of which are recognized in the "Red Book": the 1799/8 (S-188, PCGS #1446) and the 1799 "Normal Date" (S-189, PCGS #1443). The third variety, (NC-1), is prohibitvely rare; it utilized the same S-188 overdate obverse but is paired with a different reverse.
The Growing Pains of an American Money Factory
A close examination of the S-188 1799/8 overdate and its reverse die reveals the logistical struggles of the early United States Mint. Operating a "money factory" with fragile, rudimentary equipment and a lack of die steel, Mint officials were frequently forced to make do with the dies they had on hand, even if they were damaged, or for a previous year. In fact, the majority of cents produced in 1799 actually bear the 1798 date. In the specific case of the 1799/8, the Mint salvaged a leftover 1798 obverse die and punched a "9" over the final digit.
This diagnostic feature is plainly visible under magnification (or via a high-resolution PCGS TrueView™ image). On the 1799/8, the lower bowl of the underlying "8" is clearly visible within the gap between the bowl of the "9" and its ball terminal.
Variety Diagnostics: 1799/8 Draped Bust Cent (S-188)
- Obverse: Overdated 9 over 8. In later die states (these are rare), a prominent die crack develops through the letters ERTY of LIBERTY.
- Reverse: Shared with 1798 S-186 (PCGS #36125). Two leaf clusters- one above the E and one beside the ME of AMERICA- do not touch the stem. Interstingly, the 1798-dated coins (S-186) were struck later than the 1799/8 variety. This is evidenced by a heavy die crack that originates on the reverse at the 6 o'clock rim and runs diagonally through the lower right toward the rim above M of AMERICA. This advanced crack is present on all S-186 examples, yet only appears on a small number of known late-die-state 1799/8 (S-188) coins.
Survival Rates
Of the two major 1799 Draped Bust Cent varieties, but the 1799/8 is the scarcer of the two, with most known examples grading no finer than Very Fine. To date, no Mint State examples are known, but the Mickley-Ellsworth-High Desert specimen comes tantalizingly close at PCGS AU58BN.
* * *
The PCGS graded AU58 is the finest known specimen of this rare date by far. The 1799/8 is a rare coin in any grade and a super rarity in higher grades.