1874 Indian Cent. MS-66 RD (PCGS).Lovely light orange surfaces retain full mint color throughout. Sharply struck over all but a few isolated design elements, the surfaces have a smooth satin texture that would accept nothing less than a premium Gem rating. The year 1874 saw a radical shift in the Mints handling of earlier dated bronze cents which it had been redeeming since 1871. Rather than melt those coins and use the metal to strike new examples (as it had done from 1871 through 1873), the Mint began to reissue redeemed coins alongside newly struck pieces. Accordingly, the 1874 has a higher rate of survival than the bronze Indian cent issues of 1864 to 1873. Even so, this is a conditionally challenging issue with few survivors from the mintage of 14,187,500 pieces grading finer than Choice Mint State. Full Red Gems such as this are seldom offered, and this coin is far more attractive than many identically graded pieces that we have handled recently. A highlight of the ESM Collection, and worthy of the strongest bids.From the ESM Collection.
