EAC2025

EARLY CENTS AUCTIONS

LOT 188 1797 S-133 R5 Stemless Wreath G5 . A point or two sharper, particularly on the obverse, but the fields and protected areas are covered with very fine roughness and there is a scrape or delamination left of the O in ONE. Slightly glossy steel brown with darker olive brown in protected areas. MDS, Breen state II, with die clashmarks on the obverse. The date and legends are complete and easily readable.

Ex Douglas F. Bird-Buck Burgess (includes the Bird sales ticket)

 THE SMALL FRACTION 1797

LOT 189 1797 S-134 R4 Small Fraction VF20 . Ten points sharper where properly struck but the left sides are weak, a characteristic of the rare late die state, Breen state V. The reverse is cracked, the field is swollen at the lower curls up to the lower end of the hair ribbon, and a raised retained cud break shows over the E in AMERICA. Choice glossy medium chocolate with smooth, nearly flawless surfaces. A couple tiny planchet chips in the weakly struck area at the D in UNITED are the only marks (as struck). The fraction is small on this variety, the only one of the year. Breen recognized this unique feature and he mentioned it in bold print in his 2000 encyclopedia, but so far the folks at the “Redbook” have not. If and when they do add it to the “Redbook” the pressure on this scarce variety will certainly increase. Graded VF25 Choice and tied for CC#11 in the Noyes census, his photo #27658.

Ex 1987 EAC Sale, lot 145 (as VF25)-J. R. Frankenfield, McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Superior 2/17/2001:264 (as VF20)-Chris McCawley-Gerald Bange Collection

 A SECOND 1797 SMALL FRACTION

LOT 190 1797 S-134 R4 Small Fraction VF20 . Sharpness EF40 and very attractive, but this cent was lightly burnished and expertly retoned. There is no evidence of a reason for burnishing (roughness, marks, etc.) so this was simply an “improvement” to the eye appeal of an otherwise great cent. Glossy medium brown and light chocolate with peeps of frost in protected areas that escaped the burnishing. No marks or other defects. M-LDS, Breen state IV, with two die cracks to the E in AMERICA and a very slightly raised retained cud break between the cracks. The edge of the planchet is partially beaded (Breen’s II edge variant). Graded EF45 net VF25 by Del Bland. Recognized by Breen as a separate type of 1797 cent but not (yet) recognized as such in the “Redbook,” even though the S-134 is the only 1797 cent variety with a small fraction (also seen on four reverses used in 1796). And finding a nice one is really difficult. Comes with a nice provenance.

Ex Ray Chatham-R. S. “Robbie” Brown, Jr., Superior 9/30/1986:190-Dr. Ralph W. Rucker, Early Cents Auctions FPL May 2004, lot 179 (includes the Chatham envelope and Rucker lot ticket)

50 Saturday, May 17 th , 2025 5PM EST • PITTSBURGH, PA