1803 Draped Bust Cent. S-264. Rarity-5+. Large Date, Small Fraction. EF Details--Scratch (PCGS).With plenty of sharp definition remaining from a well centered, boldly executed strike, it is little wonder that this is one of the finest known survivors from this scarce and conditionally challenging die marriage. Both sides are a bit rough with light porosity, the obverse cleaned at one time, yet now nicely retoned in warm olive-brown. The reverse is more original in appearance with marbled steel and medium copper patina. Relatively smooth in hand, the PCGS qualifier concerns a shallow, nearly horizontal scratch on the reverse below the word ONE in the denomination. Breen Die State II.<p>Sheldon-264 is the only known die marriage of the elusive Large Date, Small Fraction <em>Guide Book</em> variety of the 1803 Draped Bust cent. The experts at <em>PCGS CoinFacts</em> estimate that just 75 examples are extant in all grades. The present example is graded EAC VF-20 by Grellman, EAC Fine-15 by Bland and the Breen encyclopedia (2000), the latter two ranking it as CC#5. The Noyes grade is also EAC Fine-15, but CC#7. Regardless of its exact EAC grade and Condition Census ranking, this is a significant coin for the early copper variety collector as S-264 is scarce in an absolute sense with the finest known example grading only EAC VF-25. From the Collection of Thaddeus A. Tatum III. Earlier ex Herbert Schneider; Warren Schneider, May 1996; Henry T. Hettger; Ira & Larry Goldbergs Pre-Long Beach Auction of September 2007, lot 2166. Collector envelope and tags with attribution and provenance notes included.
