Baltimore Show Report... something cool... and a newp :-) Grade Revealed.

lkenefic

Hello Everyone

I was able to break away over lunch (and before my 4pm meeting) to dodge raindrops and get to the Baltimore-Whitman Coin Expo at the Convention Center around 12:30. I didn't have a huge amount of time (3 hrs) and I had two main objectives for the day. The first was to find a decent 1794 Liberty Cap cent. My second objective was to get my $2.5 Indian in to our hosts for grading.

I've been wanting a nice Liberty Cap Cent since I started collecting as a kid but my previous example was barely identifiable at Fr2/AG3-details (heavily corroded). I've been looking at this issue diligently over the last two years or so but hadn't found a piece that struck the balance between surfaces, color, wear, problems, and.... affordability! I stopped first at Tom Reynold's table. As expected, he has the best early copper at the show with many super clean, higher graded (and well beyond my budget) specimens. I always like the eye candy though and I may stop by tomorrow to check out his Middle Dates if I can break away again. I next stopped by Col. Ellsworth's (Butternut) and he also had many nice pieces. He had a few that were already graded in details holders, as well as a few raw pieces, but I didn't find anything that struck the balance. I went to Chris-Victor McCawley's table next. He had a decent VG-8 piece in a straight-graded PCGS holder. The surfaces and color looked pretty good, but I was holding out for something with a little more details. He pulled out another '94 (Head of '94) in VF20 and was willing to work with me on the price. I liked the coin... the surfaces were ok... but the color was a little too dark.

So, those were the top 3 copper dealers I usually go to and I felt that sinking feeling (again) that I was not going to fare well in my quest... so I started looking at type pieces. I happened by a vendor that had a display of holed coins and thought that was pretty cool, or sad if you dwell on it too long... I snapped this image of a particular few coins that caught my eye:

I also went by JJ Teaparty just to see what they had. I used to get a lot of coins for my 7070 Type set from them pre-pandemic. Low and behold... a 1794 Liberty Cap Cent! More on that later...

I also wanted to get my $2.5 Indian gold piece authenticated and graded, but first, I wanted to at least get another's opinion that it was indeed authentic. I had the good fortune to meet @DelawareDoons briefly and had him take a look. We also both looked at the Fivaz book on counterfeit gold detection. We both agreed that the coin "in-hand" looked authentic... so... off to PCGS I went. (Thanks, Larry!) The lines were pretty deep but the staff kept things moving along. I joined PCGS and made my submission in about 45 minutes or so. I'll let everyone know what our hosts said about this piece.

I was coming to the end of the show but still had time to stop back by JJ Teaparty to pick this up. Success! Early Copper has been an interest of mine for a very long time and as most of you know... finding nice problem-free pieces is difficult and there are usually compromises involved. I think this piece strikes a decent balance between smooth surfaces, color, and few "issues". Aside from the small patch on the reverse, and the lamination issues on the obverse, I think this one struck the balance. As always... thoughts, comments, and Guess the Grade... I'll post more images later. Best, Leo

Bob13

Nice report and newp! Congrats!

ad4400

Sound like you packed a lot in the time you had. Great report!

WQuarterFreddie

Congratulations on your find! I have one of these but yours is in much better condition.

Looking forward to seeing the grade!

TomB

Great report and it's nice that you were able to pick up a 1794 that spoke to you. Also, good luck on your submission of the quarter eagle and I am glad that the in-hand look of the coin appears genuine.

alaura22

I'm saying VG10

ricko

Thanks for the report (and hopefully another today )... Nice old copper and good luck with your submission. Cheers, RickO

Yorkshireman

Nice cent
Congratulations on fulfilling your dream!

vplite99

Thanks for the report.

DelawareDoons

It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Leo. That QE sure looked real to me. Let us know what it grades!

Congrats on the '94, that's a great example of the type!

RichieURich

Great report and nice newp! Thanks for posting both!

TPRC

Wholesome large cent. I am inclined to agree on the grade opinion of vg-10, though I think the EAC grade is likely an 8. Thank you for the report and good luck on the 25-D gold piece. Interestingly, I was looking at a 25-D the day after you posted that looked similar to yours (the strike anyway) and my opinion was that it was genuine. I may bring it to Baltimore Saturday for other opinions.

JimW

Congrats on the 94! I saw that holed coin display today - it was pretty unique...

jayPem

Do you recall who the dealer was with the holeys?

lkenefic

@jayPem said:
Do you recall who the dealer was with the holeys?

I can't recall the dealer but he was set up around aisle 500...

Walkerfan

Thanks for the report.

I truly like the color and surfaces of your Large Cent.

Walkerguy21D

Great report, photos, and NEWP, Leo! And you already have my opinions 😉

jessewvu

nice write-up. I live about 2 hours from the show and haven't been there in about 10 years. Today I wrote out two checks to have two roofs replaced. I would have rather purchased coins to fill in some holes in my 7070...

I was going to go to the show tomorrow buy my wife has mandated it is "yard beatification" day and I'll be hauling mulch, tilling the garden, and heading to the Amish nursery for garden plants and chicken food. However, I have lived vicariously through you, a bit!!

HoledandCreative

That holed collection would be a fun purchase!! Thanks for taking that picture.

Eddi

Congratulations on a great 1794 cent! It has nice, even surfaces and color. A well balanced specimen which I would grade at least VG10.
That is not all - I believe you have a Sheldon S-62 die pairing.
Sheldon-62 is quite a scarce variety at High R-4. You can look up other examples of this variety at the HA website.

lkenefic

Hello Everyone... I didn't make it back to the show and other family obligations are taking over the weekend... so... The Liberty Cap LC will be my sole purchase this go 'round at Baltimore. Here's "the rest of the story"... enjoy!

I was looking at Sheldon varieties and it appears the S-62 can come with or without the obverse cud. Obviously it's easier to determine the variety with it, but other than the errant hair detail on the obverse field (behind Ms. Liberty's head), what are the other diagnostics for this piece? Thanks in advance...

coinandcurrency242

Congrats!!

BLUEJAYWAY

Just a comment. The "laminations" on the obverse. They seem to resemble a form of pitting. I may be wrong. The photo may not show them as laminations. Maybe in hand it is more clear.

Elcontador

It's a real big deal to finally find a coin you've been trying to find for many years. I know. A big congrats as well.

Eddi

@lkenefic said:
Hello Everyone... I didn't make it back to the show and other family obligations are taking over the weekend... so... The Liberty Cap LC will be my sole purchase this go 'round at Baltimore. Here's "the rest of the story"... enjoy!

I was looking at Sheldon varieties and it appears the S-62 can come with or without the obverse cud. Obviously it's easier to determine the variety with it, but other than the errant hair detail on the obverse field (behind Ms. Liberty's head), what are the other diagnostics for this piece? Thanks in advance...

>

The Breen book mentions the following key obverse and reverse die characteristics.

Obverse 28:
Lowest lock of hair is stubby and thick - thicker than on any other 1794 die. Hair is incomplete above the top lock.
Second and hair locks (from the bottom) are fused so their end suggest the head of a snake with its jaw open. hence Sheldon's term "Serpent Mouth". (this is still visible on your example).

Reverse II
Leaf point at the left of O(N) supports a long drooping berry stem at its middle. The right stem is short. Seven berries on each branch.

Your coin appears to be in die state I, with an unbroken obverse die. Breen states this die state is rare. The heavy obverse rim break develops in die state II which accounts for about 80 % of survivors.

vulcanize

@lkenefic said:
Hello Everyone... I didn't make it back to the show and other family obligations are taking over the weekend.

Great purchase there chief.

Unlike Friday, you did not miss much on Saturday because I was there again yesterday after 10 am and half the dealers weren't there (was given a heads up by the person at the registration counter).
Very low floor traffic too. I had an almost nine hour long drive back and hence scoot within about an hour of going around scanning what little was there on display.

lkenefic

@vulcanize said:

@lkenefic said:
Hello Everyone... I didn't make it back to the show and other family obligations are taking over the weekend.

Great purchase there chief.

Unlike Friday, you did not miss much on Saturday because I was there again yesterday after 10 am and half the dealers weren't there (was given a heads up by the person at the registration counter).
Very low floor traffic too. I had an almost nine hour long drive back and hence scoot within about an hour of going around scanning what little was there on display.

Wow! Thanks for the update! I was considering going back yesterday but family stuff took center stage and I was happy with the purchase I did make. Summer in Baltimore is historically slow, so my next show will not likely be until Fall...