The United States Mint at Philadelphias first official coinage -- only one issue can lay claim to that crown and we offer it here in one of the most "comfortable" collector grades extant. This medium rose brown specimen offers some deeper highlights here and there. The obverse displays numerous tiny ticks throughout. The date area is weak but the numerals are discernible with the 1 the weakest of the four digits. The other obverse details are present; LIBERTY is strong compared to the date numerals and the hair tresses are fairly bold for a Fine-12 coin. On the reverse all of the details are bold for the grade with no weakness to be seen. The 15 chain links, one for each of the United States in 1793, are strong and ONE CENT is also fully rendered. One of four distinctive die combinations in the Chain cent purview, Sheldon-1 is the only among them with the famous AMERI. die reverse. Its presence is a must in any early large cent cabinet and in any truly advanced type set. Mint records show a production run of 36,103 cents of the Chain type though we have no way of telling how many were of the AMERI. persuasion. The first cents were delivered on March 1 of the year, all of them AMERI. in style. This specimen indicates an early reverse die state before swelling occurs below the U or a light crack appears at TAT. The Fine-12 grade is an attractive grade to many of todays collectors. It offers fairly well-defined details and in most instances a good value. While there are no bargains to be had when shopping for a Chain cent of any of the four varieties, the Fine-12 grade extends an opportunity to obtain a choice coin for a small amount when compared to a VF or finer coin. We expect to field numerous bids for this specimen before it finds its newest cabinet. ,,PCGS# 1340. NGC ID: 223G.,,
