My First Coin from 1796 - Ten to GO!
brianc1959
Posts: 350 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm mostly a type collector, but whenever possible I like to do it by completing mint sets. There are 11 coins in the 1796 set (with gold) that should fill a number of key holes in my type set. Earlier tonight I won my first of eleven at the HA auction:
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Comments
Tough set, lots of challenging issues in there. Just the half cent is formidable in most any straight grade.
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
Not to mention the quarter
Good luck
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
I think the quarter will probably be easy compared to the quarter eagle!
Agreed - it will take lots of time and lots of good fortune to actually finish.
I've been looking for a nice "problem free" coin for over 3 years
Might as well throw in the Half as well
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
Well, that is one heck of a goal! Congratulations on taking the first step. The quarter and quarter eagle have already been mentioned, but the half dollar is another beast, as well.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
An excellent challenge! The first year for which coins of every authorized denomination were struck. The romantic in me wants to think that this was done so that a complete set could be presented to retiring President Washington by a grateful Mint, but there is not the slightest hint that this was ever done.
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
D'OH!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
I like the dime
One of my favorite years. I've only owned the two large cents though, years ago. Good luck!
Mr. 1796, The John Whitney Walter Collection: sold by Stacks May 4, 1999 would provide a wealth of information about the various issues of 1796. Finding a mid-grade, no-problem example of the no pole half cent is nearly impossible, as the population of PCGS-graded coins is one or two F, one VFish and then jumps to MS63 and a couple of gems. A Fine-15 example in a PCGS holder sold for an astonishing $345000 in Goldberg's sale of the Ray Rouse collection in 2008.
The finest known 1796 C1 half cent is currently in a PCSG MS67RB holder. When it sold in 1996 for $506K in Bowers and Merena's sale of the Eliasberg collection, it was the first US copper coin to sell at public auction for more than $100K. 25 years later it brought $780K in a Heritage sale.
When you do finish your set I hope you post some images here. I'd love to see then all together.
You can do it!
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
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That is a VERY nice 1796, JR-1 ! superb condition
Are you also planning to collect the 1796 cents? You would ideally need one of each of the two types - flowing hair and draped bust. If you do, I shall be watching with interest.
That would be a hell of a specimen set if ever discovered in an attic. Rose wood / velvet box with a little presentation plaque. Dusty mirror finish on the coins. Dealer offering low because they aren’t already graded and snickered.
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
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That is a great catalog to have with lots of historical info. Below is a link and image of the cover.
I'm sure @brianc1959 will want to at least equal that collection. The auction had 96 lots, so only 95 to GO!
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From the Newman Numismatic Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/auctionlots?AucCoId=3&AuctionId=516733
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"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
1796 is the year that made me give up on the "true/complete" type set. Look at the price of the quarter and the half (1797 would count here too). Yeah, I can do without the small eagle, hello 1800s.
The cents are probably the easiest to obtain, relative to the other coins. Even I have both types, lol. But even those are somewhat difficult, at least for those of us with modest means, and will likely be the only 1796 coins I ever own.
Congrats on the dime! That is a daunting goal you have, but a great year for the Mint when all ten denominations were struck, all with beautiful designs.
I have the 1796 dime and half dollar, along with an 1800 mint set with gold, I will stop there!
The 1796 year set sounds tempting, but it’s a bear to complete. It’s only year where you can collect all 10 of the denominations that were authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792 with the same date..
I have the half dime (all three varieties), dime, quarter, half dollar, silver dollar and quarter eagle. The cent is possible. The other three are like climbing a mountain. I’m not going to try.
Thanks. Daunting, yes, but hopefully I'll have another two decades or so to finish it!
I took a look at your 1800 set, and it's very impressive. The $10 in particular is amazing, and from the photo it appears proof-like. How does it look in-hand? I've thought about working on an 1800 set since I have the half dime, but other interests and limited funds limit things.
It seems to me you've climbed several mountains already!
Yes, the 1796 No Stars Quarter Eagle was the largest mountain I have ever climbed. It was the last coin I needed to finish my type set. The estimated surviving population is 125 pieces. It is fully struck with no problems and graded MS-62, but in the “wrong holder,” NGC. “Coin Facts” called tied for the 8th finest known. I like it better than some of the pieces above it, but ownership adds some points.
My other 1796 coins are much more pedestrian.
Thanks - I've been an underbidder on several 1796 dimes in the past couple of years, and am glad to have this one.
I already have flowing hair and draped bust cents as type coins (1795 and 1806), so the 1796 cents probably won't be top priority. The half-dime is probably my next target.
Bill
I don't think there is anything "pedestian" about any coin dated 1796
Would love to see the quarter and half.............but I don't want to hijack this thread
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
@brianc1959: wow - best of luck with this massive undertaking! Love the 10C - did you win the 55 or 58?
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Is it OK if I hijack the thread? I think I've seen photos of Bill's 1796 quarter and half before, but I'd certainly like to see them again. Ditto for any 1796 coin.
It was the 55. I liked the look of it.
A small quibble. Starting in 1840 10-coin denomination sets are doable.
@brianc1959 said:
Thanks. Yes, the 1800 $10 has reflective fields and I would call it semi-prooflike. Miss Liberty is frosty and contrasts nicely with the fields, and the strike is hammered. Deeply toned also. The 1800 Eagle has a remarriage and some were struck in mid-1801, therefore the mintage is more than the listed 5,999. Dannreuther estimates up to 12,500 dated 1800's. My coin is mid-die state and I have noticed others in this die state have reflective fields. I will have to get the reverse imaged, but here is the obverse:
It's the only such set of coins you can put together that was made at the first United States Mint in Philadelphia. The first mint closed officially on January 1, 1833.
Here is the 1796 Quarter. It's graded VF-25.
Here is the half dollar. It is graded Fine-15.
Outstanding coins Bill
Love em' both
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
This 1796 half dollar I got from Tangible investments at a Long Beach show in the late 1990's:
https://davidlawrence.com/auctions/lot/762440
Cert # no longer valid??
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set