1809 1C, BN AG3BN Certification #58969891, PCGS #1546

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Expert Comments

Charles Morgan

The 1809 Classic Head Cent, S-280

The Philadelphia Mint struck 222,867 1809 Classic Head Cents (BN #1546) using a single die pair. While not a rare date overall, the issue is scarce in Choice Mint State and unknown in Mint State Red or Red-Brown.

Two of the finest known specimens were repatriated from Europe in the late 20th century, while two others trace their provenance back to the the early days of the American Numismatic Association. The example from the famed Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, passed through the famed Cardinal and Pogue Collections before appearing in an August 2017 Heritage sale. This piece ranks sixth in our census.

* * *

PCGS #

1546

Designer

John Reich

Edge

Plain

Diameter

28.00 millimeters

Weight

10.89 grams

Mintage

222867

Metal

Copper

Pop Higher

203

Pop Lower

Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	2000	R-4.6	4 / 11 TIE	4 / 11 TIE
All Grades	40	R-8.7	9 / 11	9 / 11
60 or Better	0	R-10.1	1 / 11	1 / 11

Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.
65 or Better	2000
All Grades	40
60 or Better	0

Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.
65 or Better	R-4.6
All Grades	R-8.7
60 or Better	R-10.1

Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	4 / 11 TIE
All Grades	9 / 11
60 or Better	1 / 11

Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	4 / 11 TIE
All Grades	9 / 11
60 or Better	1 / 11

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS64BN	“The C.T. Whitman Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, August 1893, Lot 863 – $53; M.A. Brown; “The M.A. Brown Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1897, Lot 814 – $55; “The John G. Mills Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1904, Lot 1274 – $40; “The George H. Earle, Jr. Collection,” Henry Chapman, June 1912, Lot 3446 – $54; Samuel Hudson Chapman; “The Arthur Sargent Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, June 1913, Lot 524 – $115; Carl Wurtzbach; Rodney T. Grove; Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling; "Auction ’81," Superior, July 1981, Lot 527 – $21,000; Superior, privately; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; Jay Parrino, April 16, 1996; W.M. “Jack” Wadlington. As PCGS MS64BN #34168504. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1058 – $43,200; Heritage Auctions, January 19, 2025, Lot 4397 - $40,800. "The johnfbrice Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). S-280.
1	PCGS MS64BN	Discovered in France; Heritage Rare Coin Galleries July 1984; Denis W. Loring, May 1986; “The Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection,” Superior, January 1996, Lot 384 – $6,875; Chris Victor-McCawley; “The Chris Kromer Collection,” Superior Galleries, February 2001, Lot 2301; Bowers and Merena, November 2001, Lot 2628; Superior, August 2002, Lot 246; “The Joshua and Ally Walsh Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 2006, Lot 3030; Denis W. Loring, April 2007 - $25,000; “The Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Collection,” Goldberg Auctions, September 2009, Lot 552; “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 2017, Lot 5132 – $32,900; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3054 – $32,400; "The Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2025, Lot 2217 - $30,000. S-280. Die State VI. Desribed by Ellsworth as having "cartwheel luster on both sides of olive brown with lighter reverse."
1	PCGS MS64BN	“The John P. Lyman Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, November 1913, Lot 432 – $51; Henry Chapman; Virgil M. Brand; Carl Wurtzbach; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 1972; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr.; Early American Coppers, April 1989, Lot 165 – $3,750; Del Bland; Chris Victor-McCawley; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Tallarico Rare Coins; Dr. Robert Bye; Stack’s, May 1997, Lot 386 – $8,250. As PCGS MS64BN #50004411. “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 2014, Lot 30029 – $25,850. As PCGS MS64BN #11224481. “The Collection of Thaddeus A. Tatum III,” Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1049 – $22,800. S-280. Breen Die State VIII.
1	PCGS MS64BN	From England in 1973 to John J. Ford, Jr., Jon Hanson, February 1974; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; Bill Noyes, August 2010 - As PCGS MS64BN #32782993. "The Thomas D. Reynolds Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 311 - $129,250. S-280.
5	PCGS MS63+BN	Mike Chipman. S-280.

#1 PCGS MS64BN

“The C.T. Whitman Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, August 1893, Lot 863 – $53; M.A. Brown; “The M.A. Brown Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1897, Lot 814 – $55; “The John G. Mills Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1904, Lot 1274 – $40; “The George H. Earle, Jr. Collection,” Henry Chapman, June 1912, Lot 3446 – $54; Samuel Hudson Chapman; “The Arthur Sargent Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, June 1913, Lot 524 – $115; Carl Wurtzbach; Rodney T. Grove; Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling; "Auction ’81," Superior, July 1981, Lot 527 – $21,000; Superior, privately; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; Jay Parrino, April 16, 1996; W.M. “Jack” Wadlington. As PCGS MS64BN #34168504. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1058 – $43,200; Heritage Auctions, January 19, 2025, Lot 4397 - $40,800. "The johnfbrice Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). S-280.

#1 PCGS MS64BN

Discovered in France; Heritage Rare Coin Galleries July 1984; Denis W. Loring, May 1986; “The Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection,” Superior, January 1996, Lot 384 – $6,875; Chris Victor-McCawley; “The Chris Kromer Collection,” Superior Galleries, February 2001, Lot 2301; Bowers and Merena, November 2001, Lot 2628; Superior, August 2002, Lot 246; “The Joshua and Ally Walsh Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 2006, Lot 3030; Denis W. Loring, April 2007 - $25,000; “The Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Collection,” Goldberg Auctions, September 2009, Lot 552; “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 2017, Lot 5132 – $32,900; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3054 – $32,400; "The Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2025, Lot 2217 - $30,000. S-280. Die State VI. Desribed by Ellsworth as having "cartwheel luster on both sides of olive brown with lighter reverse."

#1 PCGS MS64BN

“The John P. Lyman Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, November 1913, Lot 432 – $51; Henry Chapman; Virgil M. Brand; Carl Wurtzbach; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 1972; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr.; Early American Coppers, April 1989, Lot 165 – $3,750; Del Bland; Chris Victor-McCawley; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Tallarico Rare Coins; Dr. Robert Bye; Stack’s, May 1997, Lot 386 – $8,250. As PCGS MS64BN #50004411. “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 2014, Lot 30029 – $25,850. As PCGS MS64BN #11224481. “The Collection of Thaddeus A. Tatum III,” Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1049 – $22,800. S-280. Breen Die State VIII.

#1 PCGS MS64BN

From England in 1973 to John J. Ford, Jr., Jon Hanson, February 1974; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; Bill Noyes, August 2010 - As PCGS MS64BN #32782993. "The Thomas D. Reynolds Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 311 - $129,250. S-280.

#5 PCGS MS63+BN

Mike Chipman. S-280.