Light olive brown is gently blended with generous faded red through the fields. Both sides are pleasantly lustrous creating superb aesthetic appeal. One small nick on the neck is the only useful identifier. Though the dies disintegrated as discussed below, in the present state they really are not worn in the usual sense. The fields are relatively smooth and fairly sharp definition is seen throughout.This fascinating variety is popular with die state collectors for the many different states of deterioration that have been recorded. In all, 33 different states have been described by Grellman, who added a footnote in his book, The Die Varieties of United States Large Cents 1840-1857, that they could be broken down even further if every change was to be documented. This example is his Die State-i.While the most intense specialists might collect on the basis of die state, most will find the overall quality to be sufficient to merit their interest. It is one of the very finest known of the variety, called CC#1 in the Noyes Census and tied with one other for the same honors in the Grellman Census.
