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A 1798 Large Cent, S-179

BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,839 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum


This 1798 large cent was my first purchase at the recently concluded FUN Convention. I first posted it in the "first purchase of 2017" string, but it got lost in the shuffle so I thought I cover it in greater detail here.

Our hosts graded this piece AU-53, and it has earned a CAC sticker. It is described as having the "2nd hair style," but it did not have a Sheldon number attribution when I bought it. That provided me with an opportunity to give one to it when I got home. And no, I have never been, nor will I ever will be one of those guys who can attribute Sheldon numbers from memory.

As it turns out this is an S-179. It is a common variety which has received a rarity rating of R-1+ in the Breen early large cent book. Dr. Sheldon rated it as an R-2.

There are two interesting diagnostic areas. First the last two digits in the date are smaller and are placed higher than the "17." This indicates that the die may have been made with the first two digits punched in place and then the last two digits were added. I have noted this two part process for the date entry on the 1797 half dimes. Alternatively the small "98" may have been what was available at the time.

The second diagnostic is more interesting. On the reverse the "E" in "AMERICA" was first punched upside down and then corrected. This die blunder makes the coin more interesting to me. It is a reflection of the die making process in the late 18th and early 19th century, which involved a great deal more hand labor than would be necessary when the designs were sunk into the die face with a hub.

Overall the 1798 cent is the most common date among the 18th century large cents. That being said, given the number of large cent collectors, the coin is not often available at the shows, especially this nice.

Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?

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