1830 Large Cent Medium Letters

Jinx86

Dont you just it dread when you find the variety you've been hunting, just to find it damaged? Well here it is strong chance at Unc Details. PCGS shows one MS67 as the only MS example graded with the next highest as AU55(3 pop?). This is going in as part of my next submission.

Anyone else find an elusive piece just for it to be a damaged example. Rare but still with its flaws.





Heres another tough one Ive found damaged. 1936 D 3 1/2 Legs VF Details.

Bob1951

Tough is tough-I like them. Sometimes if you want a scarce variety may just have to accept damaged coins. A damaged scarce variety type set could be fun. Looking for damaged coins is not on many peoples agenda.

Bob

Walkerguy21D

Dang, why didn't they put a hole in a large cent that was dark and corroded, as well as common?
Of course, it may have been done around the time of issue, and was carefully stored, preserving the surfaces
and detail.

My 1804 and 93 Wreath cent are both Details coins, but actually much nicer than many I've seen, especially at the price range acquired.
I have no doubt my future '99 large cent will likewise be a genny coin.

ricko

That is a very nice cent.... a shame it was holed/filled.... Cheers, RickO

asheland

Indeed it has a nice appearance.

Nap

I brought up this topic when discussing a couple of very rare but damaged British coins I acquired in a recent thread on the Darkside forum

It's sometimes the only way to acquire something very rare and valuable. It's also sometimes the only way to acquire something very rare regardless of one's financial means, just because they never come up for sale.

I think your large cent has an overall nice look, the damage nonwithstanding

Jinx86

Nice write up Nap.

I'm not so much of a specialized collector as I am a Cherry Picker. I just like to bring to light that there are still great rare coins out there for the picking.

coindeuce

Look at it on the brighter side - the hole could have been into the devices somewhere, which would have been the kiss of death for the coin IMHO. . .

Jinx86

Yeah, if the hole would have been in the date, it could have potentially made the variety unrecognizable by removing the last "S" of STATES on the Rev.

coindeuce

Originally posted by: Jinx86

Yeah, if the hole would have been in the date, it could have potentially made the variety unrecognizable by removing the last "S" of STATES on the Rev.

There appear to have been several medium letters reverse dies used in 1830 with varying letter positioning of the legend, so letter positioning is not a confirming diagnostic. Comparing your coin to several of the examples of medium letters posted in CoinFacts verifies this.

lkeigwin

What a shame about the hole. Cripes.



The good news is the OP coin is an N-8 die marriage (R1) which is considered a large letters, not medium. Only the N-6 (R4) is a medium letters and it is most easily identified by more space between the words of the legend.



Below is the N-6 medium letters. Not mine (which is a lowly G6).

Lance.

Jinx86

Im not seeing the difference between the two. Are there any die markers I can look for when Im home and have it in hand.

lkeigwin

Look at the slight die crack characteristic of the N-8 obverse die. It runs from the bust to the bottom of S1 to the rim.



Note too the position of the 0 in the date. It's high on the N-8 obverse.



Compare the leaf tips to the legend. E.g., the tip under the F in OF.

Lance.

BryceM

It sucks, but without significant attrition, there wouldn't be that many rare coins. You can't have it both ways.

Jinx86

Ok I was just going by the last S in States as PCGS shows that under the Large Letters as the diagnostic.

lkeigwin

IMO, the whole legend letter-size thing is a little fuzzy. We see it in other series too. Sometimes the difference is plain as day. Other times there's barely a difference at all.



Compare the N-6 and N-8 below. Okay, some letters are a tad taller. And some a little thinner.

Lance.

Walkerguy21D

Yep, now that I'm home with my books, it's the N-8, as Lance has pointed out.
No need to own this one in damaged condition, as there are plenty of nice examples of this variety.