1798 1C S-172, BN AU55+ BN Certification #32777269, PCGS #36086

Ron Guth

1798 Large Cents are known with "First" and "Second" Hair Styles.  These are misnomers because the hairstyles are actually quite similar and differ only by the addition of a conspicuous haircurl just left of and below the ear on the Second Hairstyle.  The new version, with the obvious curl, is also known as the "Head of 1799" because researchers believe all such varieties were struck in 1799 even though they were dated 1798.  In particular, the 1799/8 Large Cents are all of the Second Hairstyle.

Sheldon 172 is one of over twenty die varieties that comprise the Second Hair Style.  Breen rates it a High Rarity 2, which is fairly common, but that only applies to circulated examples.  In Mint State, the S-172 is very rare.  None are known above MS63+, and none are known that would qualify as Red-Brown, much less full Red.  There is minor disagreement as to which example is the finest known, but in the PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census, the best example is the PCGS MS63+BN from the Newcomb and Reynolds collections..  While other examples may be more technically perfect, this one shows the largest amount of original color.