1814 Classic Head Cent. S-294. Rarity-1. Crosslet 4. MS-63 BN (PCGS). CAC.This is a delightful 1814 cent with fully original, hard satin surfaces. Both sides are uncommonly smooth for both the type and the assigned grade, and the overall quality is suggestive of an even higher Choice Mint State rating. Light marbling to steel and golden-brown patina is noted, with the appearance of both sides uniformly attractive. All devices are sharply rendered; the strike trivially off center to the lower obverse and upper reverse, affecting only the denticulation in those areas.John Reichs brief Classic Head cent series passed into coinage history in 1814 with a mintage of 357,830 pieces for the year. The United States was in the throes of the War of 1812 at the time and, although the Treaty of Ghent signed on December 24, 1814, ended the conflict with Great Britain, future president Andrew Jackson would lead U.S. forces to victory in the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, unaware of the treatys signing. The United States government did not officially ratify the treaty until February 18, 1815. Among the many adverse affects of the war was the interruption of deliveries of copper planchets to the United States Mint. The Mints principal supplier at the time was Matthew Boulton, located in Birmingham, England. Indeed, his last shipment to the United States before the war officially commenced on June 18, 1812, was made in January 1811, the copper arriving sometime before May 9, 1812 (April 15, according to some numismatic sources). No more shipments were made until after the cessation of hostilities, and the Mints existing supply was exhausted by the end of 1814, explaining the lack of 1815 large cents. When coinage of this denomination resumed in 1816, Reichs Classic Head motif had been replaced by the Matron Head design of Chief Engraver Robert Scot.According to the author in <em>Walter Breens Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents: 1793-1814</em>, Chief Coiner Adam Eckfeldt delivered the years production of cents to Mint Treasurer Benjamin Rush on October 27, 1814. Only a small number of the coins produced have come down to todays collectors with strong technical quality and exceptional eye appeal. The present example certainly has few peers among extant Classic Head cents of any issue or die marriage. Only strong bids will be competitive when this lovely condition rarity crosses our auctioneers block at the 2017 ANA Worlds Fair of Money.The PCGS insert incorrectly attributes this coin as an example of the Plain 4 <em>Guide Book</em> variety of the 1814 cent.
