1794 1C Bent Lock, S-22, BN (Regular Strike)
Series: Liberty Cap Cents 1793-1796
PCGS MS65+BN
PCGS MS64+BN
PCGS MS63BN
- PCGS #:
- 35531
- 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:
- $72,000 • MS64+BN • 03-31-2021 • Stack's Bowers
Die Varieties
- 1794 1C Flat Pole, S-21, BN
- 1794 1C Bent Lock, S-22, BN
- 1794 1C S-23, Shattered Obverse, BN
- 1794 1C Apple Cheek, S-24, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-24, RB
- 1794 1C Severed Locks, S-25, BN
- 1794 1C Severed Locks, S-26, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-26, RB
- 1794 1C Egeria, S-27, BN
- 1794 1C Ornate Head, S-28, BN
- 1794 1C Ornate Head, S-29, BN
- 1794 1C Marred Field, S-30, BN
- 1794 1C Marred Field, S-31, BN
- 1794 1C Venus Marina, S-32, BN
- 1794 1C Wheel Spoke, S-33, BN
- 1794 1C Upturned Locks, S-34, BN
- 1794 1C Delicate Lower Lock, S-35, BN
- 1794 1C Low Head, S-36, BN
- 1794 1C Steigerwalt, S-37, BN
- 1794 1C Marred Field, S-38, BN
- 1794 1C Marred Field, S-39, BN
- 1794 1C Marred Field, S-40, BN
- 1794 1C Abrupt Hair, S-41, BN
- 1794 1C Abrupt Hair, S-42, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-42, RB
- 1794 1C Short Bust, S-43, BN
- 1794 1C Short Bust, S-44, BN
- 1794 1C The Plicae, S-45, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-45, RB
- 1794 1C Crossed E, S-46, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-46, RB
- 1794 1C Short Bust, S-47, BN
- 1794 1C Short Bust, S-49, BN
- 1794 1C S-49, RB
- 1794 1C Young Head, S-50, BN
- 1794 1C Long Locks, S-51, BN
- 1794 1C Coquette, S-52, BN
- 1794 1C Severed Locks, S-53, BN
- 1794 1C Slanting 7, S-54, BN
- 1794 1C Big Berries, S-55, BN
- 1794 1C Office Boy Reverse, S-56, BN
- 1794 1C Pyramidal Hair, S-57, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-57, RB
- 1794 1C Many-Haired, S-58, BN
- 1794 1C Many-Haired, S-59, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-59, RB
- 1794 1C Patagonian, S-60, BN
- 1794 1C Patagonian, S-61, BN
- 1794 1C Head of '94, S-61, RB
- 1794 1C Trephined Head, S-62, BN
- 1794 1C Fallen 4, S-63, BN
- 1794 1C Shielded Hair, S-65, BN
- 1794 1C Split Pole, S-66, BN
- 1794 1C NC-1, BN
- 1794 1C NC-2, BN
- 1794 1C NC-5, BN
- 1794 1C NC-6, BN
- 1794 1C NC-8, BN
- 1794 1C NC-9, BN
- 1794 1C NC-10, BN
- 1794 1C NC-11, BN
Condition Census What Is This?
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#1 PCGS MS65+BN
Bowers and Merena, September 1986, Lot 393; Mid-American Coin Auctions, January 1988, Lot 51; Thomas D. Reynolds, 1997; Walter J. Husak. As PCGS MS65+BN #26401309. "Selections from the Black Cat Collection, Part II," Heritage Auctions, April 29, 2026, Lot 3008 - $88,450. S-22. |
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#2 PCGS MS64+BN
W.W. Hays Collection, 1900; Charles Steigerwalt, 1906; John Zug; Lyman Low, March 1907, Lot 43 – $28.50; “The Howard R. Newcomb Collection, Part I,” February 1945, Lot 58 – $65; “The Milton A. Holmes Collection,” Stack’s, October 1960, Lot 1361; Frank H. Masters, Jr.; RARCOA, May 1971, Lot 49 – $925; Denis Loring; John W. Adams; Bowers and Ruddy Fixed Price List of the Adams Collection of 1794 Cents, 1982, Lot 12 – $5,500; David C. Putnam; Private Owner; Stack’s Bowers, March 25, 2021, Lot 4010 – $72,000. S-22. Noyes' Die State B/C. |
#3 PCGS MS63BN
B. Max Mehl, April 1926, Lot 359 – $37; “The Frank Hussey Collection,” New Netherlands Coin Company, April 1960, Lot 1341 – $140; C. Douglas Smith, 1965; “The Alfred Bonard Collection,” Numismatic Enterprises, February 1968, Lot 25 – $1,100; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., sold privately on February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner, April 1992; Dr. Allen Bennett, January 1998. As PCGS MS63BN #13457247. “The Walter J. Husak Collection,” Heritage Auctions, February 15, 2008, Lot 2024 – $48,875; "The Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Collection, Goldberg Auctioneers, September 2009, Lot 37 - $31,050; Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2024, Lot 2016 - $24,000. S-22. Early Die State. |
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#3 PCGS MS63BN
"As Extremely Fine or Better." "The Anderson Dupont Collection," Stack’s, September 1954, Lot 30 - $65; Dorothy I. Paschal; Darwin B. Palmer, Jr. via Ray Chatham; Gordon J. Wrubel; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Dr. Sheldon Freed, via Shalowitz; Jack H. Robinson; As "Very Fine 35." Stack’s, September 1987, Lot 113 - $962.50; Evan Kopald. As "EF45." McCawley & Grellman Auctions, January 1993, Lot 30 - $4,900; Dr. Thomas Turissini; Mark Hagan. As PCGS MS63BN. Goldberg Auctioneers, August 2014, Lot 139 - $34,000; Glenn Strauss; Goldberg Auctioneers, June 2018, Lot 207 - $17,500; As PCGS MS63BN #36382326. Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2019, Lot 435 - $17,500; R.J. Rudolph Collection; Goldberg Auctioneers, February 2020, Lot 637 - $17,500; Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1158 – $21,600; Heritage Auctions, February 9, 2023, Lot 3691 – $32,400; "The mtj369 Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). S-22. Intermediate Die State. Reverse mounds becomming visible. Note: the use of Extremely Fine in older catalogues often equates to About Uncirculated or Mint State in today's understanding of coin grading. |
#4 PCGS MS62BN
"The Henry C. Miller Collection," Thomas L. Elder April 1917, Lot 692 - $33; Wayte Raymond; Henry C. Hines; William H. Sheldon, sold privately on April 19, 1972; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., sold privately on 2/23/1992 - Eric Streiner, sold privately on June 3, 1992; "The Thomas D. Reynolds Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 15 - $31,725; Heritage Auctions, May 12, 2024, Lot 4385 - $31,200. S-22. Late Die State. According to Walter Breen, collector Henry Hines would carry this coin in a chamois pouch to show it off. |
#4 PCGS MS62BN
S-22. Late Die State. |
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#6 MS61BN PCGS grade
Discovered in Europe; Thomas L. Elder, February 1921, Lot 1911 – $20; Unknown Intermediaries; Paramount, August 1974, Lot 308 – $700; Chuck Furjanic; Bowers and Ruddy Fixed Price List of 1975 – $1.695; American Auction Association, December 1975, Lot 271 – $950; “The Julius Turoff Collection,” Bowers and Ruddy, October 1976, Lot 1487 – $900; Unknown Intermediary; Bowers and Merena, March 1984, Lot 613 – $3,300; Gene Sanders; Jonathan Gordon; Superior Galleries, May 1991, Lot 23 – $5,500; Dr. Thomas Turassini; Eric Streiner; Thomas D. Reynolds, April 24, 1993; Dr. John D. Wilson, October 6, 1997; Heritage Auctions, June 2005, Lot 5075. As NGC MS-62. “The Richard Jewell Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 2011, Lot 7223 – $13,800; As PCGS MS-61BN #25545344. Stack’s Bowers, November 2015, Lot 20006 – $16,450. S-22. |
#7 AU58+ PCGS grade
Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Chris McCawley 1/2004; "The Paul Gerrie Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, February 2013, Lot 12 - $16,100. S-22. |
The 1794 Liberty Cap Cent, Sheldon-22, Blent Lock
The Sheldon-22 (PCGS #35531) features a unique die marriage, utilizing Obverse 5 and Reverse C; this represents the only known use for either die. Widely recognized as the "Bent Lock" or "Bent Hair" variety, the obverse is distinguished by the sixth hair lock, which is hooked sharply downward.
In intermediate die states—such as Noyes B/C—the coin typically presents a die crack extending through the "4" in the date, accompanied by well-defined "mounds" on the reverse wreath. These mounds are not present in the earliest die states; their arrival later in the production run likely indicates significant die subsidence (sinking), which explains why this reverse die was abandoned after its use here.
The Sheldon-22 is considered a common die marriage among 1794 Liberty Cap Cents, yet it remains highly prized in superior grades, with a Condition Census reaching as high as PCGS MS65+BN. Several of the finest known examples boast pedigrees that trace back to major collections of the early 20th century.
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Regency XIX Preview | Legend Rare Coin Auctions | December 15, 2016
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