1851/81 Braided Hair Cent. N-3. Rarity-1. MS-65 RD (PCGS). CAC.<strong>Type:</strong> Braided Hair.<p><strong>Design:</strong> Obv: A head of Liberty faces left with 13 stars around the border and the date 1851 below. She is wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, her hair tied into a bun at the back of her head by a beaded cord. Rev: A circular wreath encloses the denomination ONE CENT with the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border.<p><strong>Weight Standard:</strong> 10.89 grams.<p><strong>Diameter:</strong> 27.5 mm.<p><strong>Die Variety:</strong> Newcomb-3. Obv: So-called 1851/81, actually the digits 51 in the date are punched over an inverted 81. This feature is definitive for this obverse die, which appears only in the 1851 N-3 pairing. Rev: There is a die chip on the top left of the letter N in UNITED, a faint spur within the upper right of the letter C in CENT, and a strong spur from the right base of the adjacent letter E. The 1851 N-3 also represents the only use of this reverse die.<p>N-3 is the only die marriage that corresponds to the 1851/81 <em>Guide Book</em> listing of this issue.<p><strong>Die State:</strong> Grellman b, Noyes B/C. Obv: The die is worn with lines around Libertys portrait and in the field between stars 12 and 13 in earlier states now no longer visible. The overdate feature is a bit weak, but still readily appreciable with a loupe. Rev: The reverse die is also worn with lines through the letters MER in AMERICA in earlier states now no longer visible. There is a small die lump under the right top of the letter N in CENT.<p><strong>Edge:</strong> Plain.<p><strong>Mintage for the Issue:</strong> 9,889,707 coins.<p><strong>Estimated Surviving Population for the Die Variety:</strong> Rarity-1: More than 1,500 coins in all grades.<p><strong>Strike:</strong> Although the worn state of the dies has resulted in soft detail to isolated portions of the denticulation and bluntness to several of the stars, most design elements exhibit bold to sharp striking detail. The focal features in and around the centers are predominantly full, and seldom less than razor sharp.<p><strong>Surfaces:</strong> This virtually pristine Gem really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. Frosty surfaces are lustrous with full original mint color in vivid rose-orange. There are no detracting marks, and both sides are smooth with great eye appeal. A few shallow planchet flakes in the reverse field under the word CENT, a blush of lilac-brown on the border at 6 oclock on that side, and a few faint wisps of carbon in the left obverse field before Libertys chin are mentioned as identifying features.<p><strong>Commentary: </strong>Here is a beautiful and highly significant example of this perennially popular blundered date large cent variety. Numismatic catalogers have been unanimous in their praise for this special coin since its earliest known auction appearance. Merkin 8/1964:261, "Equal to finest seen;" Merkin 10/1973:385, "Absolutely unsurpassable;" Stacks 3/1986:883, "at or near the pinnacle for this variety." Awarded the coveted EAC grade of MS-70 in its first four auction appearances through January 2002, the third-party certification services were subsequently impressed with this coin as illustrated by the initial NGC grade of MS-66 RD by the time of Heritages July 2002 sale. The current PCGS grade of MS-65 RD was assigned sometime after Superiors May 2003 sale. Tied for CC#1 with five other examples in the current Noyes census, this coin should be admired for both its superior technical quality and outstanding visual appeal. Sure to please even the most discerning early copper enthusiast or <em>Guide Book</em> variety collector.PCGS# 1897. NGC ID: 226H.PCGS Population (1851/81 variety only): 2 in all grades in the RD category, both MS-65 RD.From the ESM Collection. Earlier ex Empire Coin Co.; Louis Helfenstein; Lester Merkins sale of the Louis Helfenstein Collection of Large Cents, August 1964, lot 261; Lester Merkins sale of October 1973, lot 385; our (Stacks) sale of March 1986, lot 883; our (Stacks) Hain Family Collection sale, Part II, January 2002, lot 846; Heritages New York, NY Signature Sale of July 2002, lot 5909; Superiors Pre-Long Beach Coin Auction of February 2003, lot 440; Superiors Pre-Long Beach Elite Coin Auction of May 2003, lot 1013.
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