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Unsure how to figure out die pairings on Booby Head Large Cent

SiriusBlackSiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

I bought this last week for my type set. First off, I messed up and didn't notice the face scratches until I started photographing it, they're not as visible with out the extra light. Live and Learn, at least it wasn't too costly of a mistake.

So my question is, it was labeled as an N4 R1 Silly Head. I'm about 99% sure it's mislabeled as a Silly Head and is in fact a Booby Head. I purchased it as a Booby Head, not the more expensive Silly Head. What I don't understand is what the N4 and R1 mean, and if they are still correct, or if the wrong coin was in the wrong flip. I think the N4 is the Obverse die and the R1 is the reverse, but I couldn't find any images to look at online to know what I was looking for or if I am even correct in my assumption.

Lastly what is the gunk all over it? The coin shop I bought it from said it was probably put on long ago to protect from more corrosion and that since it isn't a very high grade, it was probably best to just leave it as it is and not mess with it further since I don't know what I'm doing anyway. I was going to include this in my better type set, but given the scratches, I think it's going to be downgraded to my secondary lower grade, very circulated album instead.

What do they call this, a learning mistake? :/

Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

Comments

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,762 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2, 2018 12:45PM

    Definitely a Booby Head.
    N4 refers to the overall Newcomb variety for both the obverse and reverse die marriage.
    I don't have my book with me to confirm this.
    R1 is the Rarity rating - i.e., R1 is common.

    Appears to have been lacquered, or some such material.
    Consult with Insider on whether to remove it or not, and how best to attempt this if you go that route.

    edited to add - N4 is a Silly head variety, so it's not an N4. It would be an N5, or 6 or 7 or some other higher N-variety. These can get real tricky to attribute, and some are pretty scarce. I'll look tonight if no one else nails it sooner.

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  • SiriusBlackSiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Walkerguy21D said:
    Definitely a Booby Head.
    N4 refers to the overall Newcomb variety for both the obverse and reverse die marriage.
    I don't have my book with me to confirm this.
    R1 is the Rarity rating - i.e., R1 is common.

    Appears to have been lacquered, or some such material.
    Consult with Insider on whether to remove it or not, and how best to attempt this if you go that route.

    edited to add - N4 is a Silly head variety, so it's not an N4. It would be an N5, or 6 or 7 or some other higher N-variety. These can get real tricky to attribute, and some are pretty scarce. I'll look tonight if no one else nails it sooner.

    Ah ok thank you! I read about the Newcomb varieties, or rather that they exist but I have no idea what they mean. I gather this is sort of like the variety designations you find with other coins?

    Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Correct - Newcomb is to middle and late date large cents like Sheldon is for the early dates, or
    Overton is to Bust Halves, etc.

    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • LoveMyLibertyLoveMyLiberty Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭

    This is a toughy and I'm probably wrong which ever
    I choose. I'll say it's an N-5, but it sure looks like
    an N-10 also.
    Does that goopy surface have a hard feel, or is it a
    bit oily like ?

    Back to my nap !

    My Type Set

    R.I.P. Bear image
  • SiriusBlackSiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LoveMyLiberty said:
    This is a toughy and I'm probably wrong which ever
    I choose. I'll say it's an N-5, but it sure looks like
    an N-10 also.
    Does that goopy surface have a hard feel, or is it a
    bit oily like ?

    Back to my nap !

    It's hard. It looks like it was once oily and has dust and fibers embedded in it, but it's hard now.

    Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,636 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It is an N-5.

  • LoveMyLibertyLoveMyLiberty Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭

    I'd leave it alone. It may come out worse
    than it is if you try getting it off, but it's
    yours to decide.

    My Type Set

    R.I.P. Bear image
  • SiriusBlackSiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks! @burfle23 Is there a book that lists these or a website I need to check out? I've looked at a few sites, but I haven't found one that really showed many examples or explained what to look for. There didn't seem to be a great consensus on which books were helpful other than you sometimes needed several depending on the coin. I guess some books explain more than others depending the type?

    Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

  • SiriusBlackSiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I found this link:
    http://www.coinfacts.com/large_cents/matron_head_large_cents/1836_large_cents/1836_large_cent_n5.htm
    Following that link to the EACS site gives some more book options. Seem to depend on the year as to which books would be relevant.

    Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

  • burfle23burfle23 Posts: 2,636 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SiriusBlack said:
    Thanks! @burfle23 Is there a book that lists these or a website I need to check out? I've looked at a few sites, but I haven't found one that really showed many examples or explained what to look for. There didn't seem to be a great consensus on which books were helpful other than you sometimes needed several depending on the coin. I guess some books explain more than others depending the type?

    A pretty decent general site if you can patience scrolling is PCGS's CoinFacts:

    http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/1751

    This link takes you to that site and shows the different head styles, and clicking on "show all related coins and varieties" will show you images of N-5 through N-15 for this head style.

  • SiriusBlackSiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @burfle23 Ah thank you! I see where the variety options are now.

    Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

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