1797 Liberty Cap Half Cent, Mint State-64 Brown (PCGS)
Cohen 1: Extra 1 Above 1, Ex Eliasberg

Cohen 1, Breen 1a - Extra 1 punched above 1 in date. Reverse with HALF widely spaced. Plain Edge. Struck from rolled stock, with no visible undertype. (Rarity 2, per Noyes). Manley Die State 2.0, early Breen Die State IV.

Even medium brown in color with just hints of original Mint red remaining in a few protected areas. There is a subtle texture to the surfaces evident under a glass, which gives this coin a rich, frosted luster overall. A shallow struck-through on Liberty's cheek, and another smaller one just under the centering dot set the grade, although reluctantly, as there are no spots or significant contact marks whatsoever.

This is one of three 1797 "1 Above 1" Half Cents graded MS64BN by PCGS, with none finer, and was previously certified by NGC as MS-65 BN. Walter Breen includes this example in his condition census as second or third finest known, but it is more likely to be fourth or fifth.

Provenance:

• Harlan P. Smith (S.H. & H. Chapman 5/1906: lot 1195)
• J.M. and John H. Clapp (Morton and J.B. Stack privately, 1942)
• Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. (Bowers and Merena 5/1996: lot 409 @ $19,800 as "MS-63 Brown"
• Later to (Heritage 8/2006: lot 5019 @ $115,000 as NGC MS65BN)
• (Heritage CSNS "Joseph C. Thomas Collection" 4/2009: lot 2022 @ $74,750 as NGC MS65BN)
• ONR Private Client