1796 Draped Bust Cent. S-112. Rarity-4+. Reverse of 1794. AU-55 (PCGS). A highly significant example of this scarce and conditionally challenged Sheldon number. Both sides exhibit a lovely blend of mahogany and steel-blue, although the surfaces have probably been recolored, as was pointed out in our (Stacks) May 1999 offering of this coin. Smooth and essentially problem free, there are only a few tiny, widely scattered marks that are consistent with the assigned grade. Perhaps the most useful for provenance purposes are a faint vertical mark through Libertys earlobe and another, horizontal mark, at the rear of the cheek. Both sides are well centered and generally razor sharp in striking detail, although there is scant denticulation around the obverse border. Breen Die State II.<p>The obverse die of the Sheldon-112 attribution is readily identifiable with the digits 96 in the date closely spaced and connected by a short, sharp die break. High grade examples, as here, also exhibit repunching to the letters LI in LIBERTY. This obverse was also used in the S-110 pairing. The Reverse of 1794 has 14 leaves in the left branch of the wreath, 18 in the right, berries seven left and seven right. On this particular die there are two berries next to the left loop of the bow, and a bold die scratch runs from the border through the letter R in AMERICA to the right base of the adjacent E. This reverse also appears in the 1796 NC-5 pairing.<p><p>This important specimen has an EAC grade of VF-35 in the Bland census, where it is tied for CC#5. Noyes also says VF-35, but tied for CC#4. With an impressive provenance to 1897 that includes some of the most highly regarded early copper specialists in U.S. numismatics, this coin will certainly have no difficulty finding its way into another world class cabinet. PCGS# 35807. NGC ID: 223W. Ex S.H. and H. Chapmans sale of the M.A. Brown Collection, April 1897, lot 773; Henry Chapmans sale of the George H. Earle, Jr. Collection, June 1912, lot 3401; Henry Chapmans sale of the William F. Brown Collection, January 1915, lot 313; J.C. Morgenthaus sale of the Howard R. Newcomb Collection, February 1945, lot 111; James Kelly; Dr. William H. Sheldon; Dorothy I. Paschal; New Netherlands Coin Co.s sale of December 1957, lot 1030; Harold Bareford, September 1985; our (Stacks) sale of the Herman Halpern Collection, March 1988, lot 124; our (Stacks) sale of the John Whitney Walter Collection, May 1999, lot 1748; Anthony Terranova; Heritages sale of the Walter J. Husak Collection, February 2008 Long Beach Signature Auction, lot 2113.
