New 1856 Flying Eagle Snow-1 in CN discovered!

EagleEye

Pictured below is a newly graded 1856 Flying Eagle cent, which just came back today. The coin is the rare Snow-1 die pair which has the repunched date (same obverse as the Snow-3) and the famous "Tilted ONE CENT" reverse. You will notice how the ONE CENT does not line up with the wreath as it does on other Flying Eagles. The die allignment is correct in the picture. The Eagle is flying upwards when the wreath is level.
This coin was previously graded PR63 as a copper pattern J-181. I cracked it out and sent it in to be tested. (Just like Stewart did to that brown PR66 Snow-3 I sold him years ago - way too cheap as it turns out)
It came back testing out as a regular CN piece. This was pedigreed back to Judson Brenner (1914) in my book, but that predigree line may not hold up now. It certainly comes from the Superior "Lee" sale from 1988, where it sold to Elliot Goldman of Allstate Coin, which is when I first saw it. It sold to a local guy here in Tucson. Then I sold it in my first variety sale in 1993. The guy who bought it from me dissapeared and the coin turned up unattributed again in 2002. I bought it for a customer of mine and after seeing it again at the last Baltimore show I asked him if I could resubmit it for testing. It paid off this time. It's graded PR64. Not a J-181.
I think the coin was bronzed at the Mint, just like the PR66 S3 piece. The present owner owns them both. The story will be in the upcoming Longacre's Ledger (Fly-In Club journal) and this coin will be on the cover.

JohnZ

Hi Rick. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy the FE and IHC attribution guides. I only have volume 2, but I can see that your work in this field is highly specialized and erudite.

Thank you very much for your research.

Cheers,

John

jbsteven

I know Lakesamman will be excited when he hears this.



I enjoy seeing someone (Rick Snow) who really knows what he is taking about and enjoys his business. This kind of enthusiasm is something we could all use a little more of (at least I could). Keep up the good work Rick.

Barry

How is the alloy tested non-destructively?

mgoodm3

Thanks for the info.

michael

ttt

darktone

<< <i> cracked it out and sent it in to be tested >>

Very interesting coin. How wasit tested? mike

EVillageProwler

How is the alloy tested non-destructively?

I'm guessing by measuring specific gravity...

EVP

tradedollarnut

More likely by bouncing a few electrons off EVP's head. [Seriously, I think that's how they do it!]

oreville

<<<<<<<<<<I know Lakesamman will be excited when he hears this.>>>>

Well, I am excited to READ this latest development!!

JohnZ

Yes, count me in for wanting to know how specific gravity is measured.

lathmach

Interesting. Thanks for posting this Rick.

Ray

mrpaseo

I think it is amazing (And I LOVE reading about) that a coin can be tracked over the years, especially like EagleEyes first post. Thankyou so much for sharing this with us.

Ray

Conder101

A specific gravity test would not work. Copper and nickel have almost identical specific gravities so either of the the pure metals or any alloy of the the two will all result in the same specific gravity reading.

There are a couple of nondestructive testing methods. One is done by bombarding the coin with a beam of high energy electrons, and the other uses high energy X-rays. Both methods work by similar means. The metal of the coin absorbs the electrons or the x-rays and they re-radiates energy at specific energy levels for each element. The frequency o the re-radiated energy identifies the element and the strength of the signal indicates how much of it is present..

jbsteven

RKKAY can tell you how they do it. He has had it done to a few of his patterns.

paging RKKAY............

Lakesammman

WOW - Cool pickup. The only downside is that the coin resides in someone elses collection...... P64!! Astonishing. Makes this the finest known 1856 S1.

The SEM-EDX method has been around for along time. Electrons are in orbit about a nucleus. They exist in several "shells". Just like the planets around the sun orbit at different distances from the sun, so the electrons orbit different (but defined) differences from the nucleus. When they transition between these orbits, they either absorb or give off characteristic energies. The item to be tested is "bombarded" by electrons. This causes electrons in lower orbits to be "excited" by absorbing energy. They move away from the nucleus. When they return to a closer orbit, they give off a characteristic energy (for that element). This is how the elemental analysis is conducted in a non-destructive manner. Obviously it requires removal of the coin from holders to conduct the test.

RKKay - was that close to the truth??

EagleEye

Yes, They sent it to an area lab. They used an Electron microscope, which has a feature where you bombard the object with X-rays and it comes back with a spectrum of the elements. "energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry" is what its called. CU 88%, NI 11%. SN 1.1% FE 0.3%.

Yes, lakesamman, I wish I could sell it to you too.

tjkillian

Cool coin and excellent science! Dumb question: What is the difference between a J-181 and a regular proof? I assume the proofs were the first 1000 coins minted and given to congressmen to show them what the new cents would look like.

Tom

Shamika

EDX done via scanning electron microscopy is very quick and safe test. X-ray diffraction is also quite easy. Their are many other non-destructive tests but most analytical labs would choose one of these two methods.

Lakesammman

TJ:

The J180 (regular issue 1856) is CN, the J181 copper.