Early Large Cent Experts. Help with Sheldon designation

notwilight

Ok, I'm fully prepared for the experts to tell me I've mis-atrributed this coin but it looks to me like I've found a rare Sheldon 229 NC-2. Apparently enough of the NC-2 coins have been found that it isn't considered non-collectable now but is still considered rare.

The arc crack from B thru Y is obviously there when you can rotate the coin in the light. The feature that makes me think it is the NC-2 is the AM clearly connected at the bottom. And BTW, in hand the coin doen't have so much funky colored stuff on it. I need to work on my lighting.

Thanks for your help,
Jerry

PS I'll post photos of the pages from Sheldon that I'm referring to.

MikeInFL

That is clearly reverse D, but I'm not sure about the obverse. Let me do some more checking...Mike

MikeInFL

I'm sorry, but it looks like a S-230 to me. Reverse D with a different obverse. The obverse of the NC-2 coin has its 8 much lower and it leans right far more than your coin...Mike

MikeInFL

Take a look at this Heritage S-230

MikeInFL

Here's a pic of a S-229, note the position of the 8:



Here's two more S-229's in the archives of Heritage.

The more I look at it, the less sure I am. If I were forced to wager, I would choose S-230...Mike

notwilight

Mike,
I appreciate your help. After staring at the three photos and going back and forth several time, I think it's a 230. The 1 looks more like a 229 but the 0 and 2 are what clinches it for me. I guess I should have kept reading but I was using a borrowed copy of the book. I'm still shopping for my own. Also, the big reverse die crack under states is visible on my coin. Not sure if that is on the 229 or not.

I'm trying to join Heritage AGAIN. I've tried several times and never get the confirm e-mail.

Looks like that is where I should be searching.

Thanks,
Jerry

MikeInFL

Heritage is a wealth of info, but I used Breen's book at first -- the pics are very helpful. For some reason I have trouble attributing from text.

notwilight

I too struggle attributing from text. It is much quicker to compare photos. Does Breen have a photo of each Sheldon number? I'll start shopping for it instead. Thanks, Jerry

Hoot

I also concur that the coin is an S-230. The reverse also shows signs of the heavy die break that occured across the tops of the high leaves. On your coins, it's just developing beneath the second S in STATES. Eventually, the entire north of the reverse faded away as that part of the die sunk.

Neat cent, and I like the example you show. You may wish to oil the coin with CARe and use a camel hair brush to lightly brush off some of the accumulations. This will aid in its long-term preservation.

Hoot

notwilight

Thanks. What kind of oil do you recommend? --Jerry

Hoot

Either CARE or Blue Ribbon. Both work just fine, dabbing on. Brush lightly after dabbing away the excess oil with a cotton cloth. Stanton Books Carries CARE and Blue Ribbon under their "cleaners & gloves." A jeweler's brush or large, fine bristled artist's brush works well - just be sure it's soft camel hair.

Hoot

MikeInFL

<< <i>I too struggle attributing from text. It is much quicker to compare photos. Does Breen have a photo of each Sheldon number? I'll start shopping for it instead. Thanks, Jerry >>



Yes, the Breen work does have a picture of all the Sheldon(/Breen) varieties...Mike

Conder101

NC-2 and S-230 both have the same reverse die. It is uncracked on NC-2 and comes both uncracked and with die cracks on S-230.



<< <i> Does Breen have a photo of each Sheldon number? I'll start shopping for it instead. >>


Yes pictures of all the varieties, including clear pictures of the varieties discovered since Penny Whimsy came out. (The 1990 edition of Penny Whimsy has pictures of them but they are pretty much just black circles and totally useless. The rest of the plates in the 1990 edition aren't much better.)

It's more expensive but if you can find it United States Large Cents 1793 - 1814 by William Noyes is also excellent. The problem is it can often only be purchased along with the 1816 - 1839 volume at a cost of $240.

notwilight

Thanks Condor,

Yes, I see I should have kept reading onto the 230 section of the book (which I don't have here). Anyway, I've got oil ordered from Stanton books (seems silly when I have various machine oils in 5 gallon buckets in the garage) and I have e-bay searches set up for Noyes and Breen. I'd pick up an old copy of Sheldon if I found it too but like you say, the photocopied photos in the new edition are pretty worthless.

Heritage must run your credit report before they give you an account. This is the third time I've tried to sign up and no confirm e-mail. I don' t have a spam filter and my ISP doesn't either (if I bought all the products I get spammed then I'm sure my penis would be so big I couldn't fasten my pants).

--Jerry