Was told this coin was 130 years off the market…

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renomedphys
renomedphys Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

… until today! Man, I love a story like that. But you know what? I love the coin even more!

So this beauty will for now represent the plain edge Lib Cap type in my collection, as well as a rep for the 1796 date which for almost all US coins, is tough.
Any thoughts on grade? Without looking it up I mean. How about EAC grade?

Empty Nest Collection

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  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AU55? wag

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • coinkat
    coinkat Posts: 24,542 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Really nice… congrats

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • RobertScotLover
    RobertScotLover Posts: 1,069 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    So what is the story?

  • TomB
    TomB Posts: 23,191 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Holy Cow! Is that some mint red faded around the lettering on the reverse?

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

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  • CRHer700
    CRHer700 Posts: 2,153 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    61

    God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.

  • Copperindian
    Copperindian Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    NICE Matt! AU55?

    “The thrill of the hunt never gets old”

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  • Walkerguy21D
    Walkerguy21D Posts: 12,164 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That’s a moose of a ‘96!

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  • golden
    golden Posts: 10,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Very nice!

  • Steven59
    Steven59 Posts: 11,231 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Damn, Congrats!

    "When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"

  • hbarbee
    hbarbee Posts: 226 ✭✭✭✭
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    I did look it up. That is an impressive example for the grade. I believe EAC would go EF45. You should be very proud to add that to your collection.

  • johnny010
    johnny010 Posts: 1,858 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The title brought me here, but the coin is keeping me here. Wow that’s excellent. My guess is worthless in this type but I’ll go 58 to 63.

  • alaura22
    alaura22 Posts: 3,963 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AU55
    EAC 45

    Mike
    My Indians
    Dansco Set

  • Crypto
    Crypto Posts: 4,098 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    MS63
    EAC 55

    11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set

  • renomedphys
    renomedphys Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 10, 2025 9:13PM
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    Y’all’s is close! Its grades AU58+/CAC and Tom Reynolds and I agree it’s an EAC 55!

    I need to do some legwork on the back story. I kinda took the well known and reputable dealer’s word and plan to follow up. More on that when I know particulars.

    All’s I can say is I didn’t need the story when I saw the coin. It’s the real deal. I’m stoked.

    Empty Nest Collection

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    if it didn't have that touch of wear, what MS grade would you give it?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • renomedphys
    renomedphys Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 10, 2025 9:30PM
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    @TomB said:
    Holy Cow! Is that some mint red faded around the lettering on the reverse?

    Yes! And on the obverse above the hair!

    @MsMorrisine said:
    if it didn't have that touch of wear, what MS grade would you give it?

    62+/63 by PCGS standards. Maybe call it an EAC 60? It could have been brushed and a probably layer of light oil added to the surface at some time in the past.

    Empty Nest Collection

  • jesbroken
    jesbroken Posts: 11,252 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Impressed. Wow!.
    Jim


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  • oih82w8
    oih82w8 Posts: 13,209 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    A dream coin indeed! Beautiful!

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  • Mr_Spud
    Mr_Spud Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That’s a great coin!

    Mr_Spud

  • Bochiman
    Bochiman Posts: 25,790 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'd like to know how it was stored all that time as well as how many people had actually seen it (I don't think it saw the light of day very often).

    Fantastic coin!

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  • WildWestHalfDollars
    WildWestHalfDollars Posts: 7,106 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    She is a thing of beauty congrats!!!

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  • relicsncoins
    relicsncoins Posts: 8,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow!

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  • fathom
    fathom Posts: 2,201 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I would 58 that.

    EAC I don"t know how they grade, they play in a different ballpark with 500 ft fences.

  • 1TwoBits
    1TwoBits Posts: 469 ✭✭✭✭
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    That’s a beautiful large cent! Thanks for sharing.

    1TwoBits

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  • jmski52
    jmski52 Posts: 24,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    MS63, minimum. Amazing coin! Wow.

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  • CharlotteDude
    CharlotteDude Posts: 3,318 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Fabulous Large Cent. Not a copper guy, but I’d say she’s a solid AU55.

    Got Crust....y gold?
  • jfriedm56
    jfriedm56 Posts: 3,101 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That’s a beautiful coin Matt. Congratulations!

  • Flatwoods
    Flatwoods Posts: 4,270 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Nice coin Matt. Congratulations!

  • Kliao
    Kliao Posts: 5,802 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow! That is a stunner. Never know what is still hiding out there.

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  • Maywood
    Maywood Posts: 4,385 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Judged by the cert number the coin should be graded 55. :p

    "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin

  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,168 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Maywood said:
    Judged by the cert number the coin should be graded 55. :p

    Now, now! He said without looking it up.

    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • calgolddiver
    calgolddiver Posts: 1,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    outstanding ... congratulations !

    Top 15 Type Set 1792 to present

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  • Maywood
    Maywood Posts: 4,385 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @CaptHenway, did you look at the cert number in the OP TrueView image --- 49855557!!

    "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin

  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,168 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 11, 2025 4:23PM
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    @Maywood said:
    @CaptHenway, did you look at the cert number in the OP TrueView image --- 49855557!!

    Ah! Gotcha!

    Edited to add: Obviously they were grading both the front and the back, as everybody should do!

    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • Swampboy
    Swampboy Posts: 13,257 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Amazing '96
    A museum aquisition for sure
    Congrats!

    "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso

  • justindan
    justindan Posts: 992 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    P 58 EAC 50?

    Die state III?

    Incredible. Thanks for sharing. Was this one of the Kosoff coins?

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    is there a sheldon number for this?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • DCW
    DCW Posts: 7,876 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Sure is a beauty. Congratulations on your purchase!

    Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
    "Coin collecting for outcasts..."

  • renomedphys
    renomedphys Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Okay so far what I have is this: the coin was owned by a well known magician named Foster Lardner. His family kept his collection after he died in 1934. He is mentioned here on NNP:
    https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/PersonDetail/1197

    And again here:
    https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Foster_Lardner

    And here:
    https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2023/10/foster-lardner-man-on-platform.html?m=1&data=05|02||f85d037093c34b5d506108dd372b79c4|84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa|1|0|638727382059720344|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ==|0|||&sdata=2lWObRqQib3zI1Ey/A2PdJfk/1+tY6U+DtTCsU05Lhs=&reserved=0

    Sorry my linking skills could be brushed up. Anyways, that’s all I know so far. Apparently the coins were bought at a local auction in Manchester NH and sold to my dealer, and the accompanying documentation wasn’t taken at the original sale. I’m still totally in the dark as to what year and where this coin might have been acquired by Mr Lardner.

    Empty Nest Collection

  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,168 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Sounds like an all-round decent fellow. Besides the nice little writeup on him in this month's The Numismatist, if you go to the ANA website archive pages for The Numismatist and do a search for "Lardner" you will get many pages of results, though many of them are just listings on the masthead as a member of the Board of Governors.

    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
  • JimTyler
    JimTyler Posts: 4,100 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I love a background story when I buy a nice coins. I don’t even care if they lie 🤪

  • Walkerfan
    Walkerfan Posts: 10,392 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Dream piece…Congrats!!

    Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍

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  • lkenefic
    lkenefic Posts: 9,518 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow, it's been a few months since I logged on... and what a special treat! Thanks for sharing...

    As for grade... easy AU55 and low MS wouldn't shock me. Beautiful...

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  • raycyca
    raycyca Posts: 1,751 ✭✭✭
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    My WAG without looking it up is MS 64 brown. GREAT looking coin. THANKS for sharing that beautiful piece of history!

    You only live life once, enjoy it like it's your last day. It just MIGHT be!

    image
  • renomedphys
    renomedphys Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 19, 2025 8:37AM
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    Okay, as it turns out this coin was auctioned by Jones and Horan on October 10, 2024. Here’s the link:
    https://www.archive.jones-horan.com/?auction=All&searchfor=1796+cent&sort_by=date&limitnbr=300&Submit=Search#top

    We all got to see these coins at the ANA last August, and one of them in particular (a DCAM-looking half cent) caused a lot of hubbub on the bourse floor. I do recall seeing these coins and had even considered bidding on an 1814 plain 4 for my Classic Head set, but somehow this beauty didn’t end up on my list. To be sure, everyone there including myself couldn’t take their eyes off the proof half cent.

    So I guess all of those coins from that collection were certainly “off the market” for at least 90 years and most likely more. And I’m still totally in the dark about how or from whom this coin was acquired by Lardner. For now it would seem the best bet for provenance would be Foster Lardner and maybe one day I will have it reholdered as such 👍🏻

    Empty Nest Collection

  • pursuitofliberty
    pursuitofliberty Posts: 7,926 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow! What a great coin!! Congratulations.

    My WAG on grades would be PCGS AU55 and EAC 45


    “We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”

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  • steveben
    steveben Posts: 4,666 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    this is a beautiful cent.

  • TwoSides2aCoin
    TwoSides2aCoin Posts: 45,217 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Easy to covet. Hard to resist.

  • marcmoish
    marcmoish Posts: 6,938 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wow, love it, congrats, looks 55 to me, post the slab when you get it, our hosts I assume?
    FWIW, I would not be surprised at 58 , its just not MS.
    (unsure on EAC)

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