1793 1/2C C-4, BN (Regular Strike)
Series: Liberty Cap Left Half Cents 1793
PCGS MS66BN
PCGS MS65BN
PCGS MS64BN
- PCGS #:
- 35012
- Designer:
- Unknown
- Edge:
- Lettered: TWO HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR
- Diameter:
- 22.00 millimeters
- Weight:
- 6.74 grams
- Mintage:
- 35,334
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- Copper
- Auction Record:
- $920,000 • MS66BN • 01-26-2014 • Goldberg Auctioneers
Die Varieties
Condition Census What Is This?
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#1 PCGS MS66BN
“The George H. Earle, Jr. Collection,” Henry Chapman June 25, 1912, Lot 3598 – $35; “The Clarence S. Bement Collection,” Henry Chapman May 29, 1916 – Lot 413 -$35; S. H. Chapman; “The Dr. Christian A. Allenburger Collection,” B. Max Mehl March 23, 1948, Lot 311; Philip M. Showers; Stack’s, 1969; Willis Harrington DuPont; Fred S. “Freddy” Werner, February 1976; Superior Stamp and Coin Company, Inc., February 1976-; Joe Flynn and Son Rare Coins, Inc., April 20, 1976; R. Tettenhorst (Bernard Edison); Eric P. Newman Educational Foundation; The Missouri Cabinet; “The Missouri Cabinet,” Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2014, Lot 6 – $920,000. C-4. |
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#2 PCGS MS65BN
“The Lorin G. Parmelee,” New York Coin & Stamp Company, June 1890, Lot 678; “The E.W. Ropes Collection,” New York Coin & Stamp Company, December 1893, Lot 419; Listed by Stack’s in January 1963 Fixed Price List - $2,500; purchased by Joseph Brobston; Eugene H. Gardner; “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Stack’s, February 1965, Lot 1109 - $4,800; J.L. Browning; “The Raymond Benson Collection,” Stack’s, October 1990, Lot 1585 - $39,600. Misidentified as Cohen-3. As PCGS MS65BN #30451156. “The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection,” Heritage Auctions, August 22, 2022, Lot 3018 – $252,000; Stack's Bowers, February 5, 2025, Lot 1002 - $240,000. C-4. |
#2 Est. MS65BN
As PCGS MS65BN #50116356. Heritage Auctions, January 2018. Lot 4728 - $240,000. C-4. |
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#4 PCGS MS64BN
As PCGS MS64BN #50103013. “The Allison Park Collection,” American Numismatic Rarities, August 15, 2004, Lot 19 – Passed; Heritage Auctions, November 2004, Lot 5057 - Passed; Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2005, Lot 30088 – $120,750; “The Joseph C. Thomas Collection, Part Two,” Heritage Auctions, April 30, 2009, Lot 2016 – $109,250; "The High Desert Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). C-4.
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#5 Est. MS63BN
“The Bernard Turkus Collection,” Superior Galleries, June 1981, Lot 1; “The Reed Hawn Collection,” Stack’s, October 1993, Lot 1; “The Haig A. Koshkarian Collection,” Stack’s, March 9, 2004, Lot 1 – $50,600. C-4. |
| #6 PCGS AU55BN |
#7 PCGS AU53BN
Stack's Bowers, March 19, 2020, Lot 3090 - $40,800. C-4. |
#7 PCGS AU53BN
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1793 Liberty Cap, Head Facing Left Half Cent, Cohen 4, Straight Cap, Hooked Bust Line, Thin Leaves
Breen-4; Eckberg 2-C. Rarity-3.
This is the most frequently seen of the 1793 varieties. It shares the same obverse die as Cohen-3 (#35009) and is known as the “Hooked Bust Line” variety, a name given to it by Roger S. Cohen, Jr.
Obverse Features:
- The 7 in the date is short.
- Liberty’s forelock is positioned between the L and I.
- Smaller cap opening than the Cohen-1 (#35003) and Cohen 2 (#35006).
- The cap is close to the Y.
Reverse Features:
- Features a recut E in UNITED and ER in AMERICA.
- The AT and ES in STATES are widely spaced.
- Berries are more delicate and nearly wrap around the bottom of CENT.
- Beads on the top of the left branch do not aggressively point to the right.
- The ribbon ends are split for at least half their length.
Edge Features:
- TWO HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR, followed by two leaves.
Production Estimate
Half Cent researcher Bill Eckberg believes this variety was struck on July 25 and delivered on July 26, 1793, along with examples from the previous two die pairs.
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Regency XVII | Legend Rare Coin Auctions | May 19, 2016
(Starts at 1:30)
Regency XX Preview | Legend Rare Coin Auctions | January 26, 2017
(Starts at 4:59)