1809 1/2C C-3, BN MS66BN Certification #27393768, PCGS #35224
Expert Comments
Charles Morgan
1809 Classic Head Cent, C-3
Rarity 1 | Eckberg 5-C. Bill Eckberg estimates 3,400 survivors of this late-in-the-calendar die marriage. Delivery dates and die condition studies indicate that 258,000 C-3 examples were struck from October to December 1809.
This variety marks the sole appearance of Obverse 3, paired here with Reverse C. It features a widely spaced date arranged as 1 80 9, the lowest hair curl resting almost completely over the 0, and a rim break above 9 o’clock.
In Manley Die State 1.0, a curved die crack runs across the neck; by Die State 3.0, a faint hub crack extends through stars 1, 2, and 3, accompanied by a parallel crack beneath stars 2 and 3.
The Missouri Cabinet specimen is the finest known in Brown, while the superb PCGS MS66RB from the James R. McGuigan Collection stands as the overall finest known for the date.
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Condition Census Learn More
#1 PCGS MS66BN
As "Perfect date. Uncirculated." "The Alto Collection," Stack's, December 1970, Lot 522 - $180; William K. Raymond, September 8, 1976; R. Tettenhorst (Bernard Edison); "The Missouri Cabinet (Edison & Eric P. Newman)," Goldberg Auctions, January 2014, Lot 94 - $63,250. C-3. |
#2 PCGS MS64BN
Bill Luckey, January 1959; Bill Weber, September 1993; "The John D. Lusk Collection," Heritage Auctions, May 9, 2024, Lot 3804 - $3,600. C-3. Die State 1.0. |
#2 PCGS MS64BN
Heritage Auctions, May 5, 2021, Lot 21029 - $2,520; "The Jim27 Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). C-3. Die State 1.0. |
#2 PCGS MS64BN
Legend Rare Coin Auctions, March 26, 2020, Lot 148 - $2,937.50. C-3. |
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#2 PCGS MS64BN
"The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 19, 2020, Lot 3033 – $3,120. C-3. |