Fred 2 Book

 LUSTROUS N-26 TIED CC#2

LOT 568 1851 N-26 R4+ PCGS graded MS66 Brown, CAC Approved. Highly lustrous light bluish steel brown with at least 5% of the obverse and 25% of the reverse showing bright original mint red. The surfaces are satiny and the eye appeal of this cent is outstanding. The only defect visible to the unaided eye is a tiny planchet flake in the field right of star 2, but a glass reveals some microscopic specks of crud on the obverse, mostly in the hair at the ear. M-LDS, die state b late. The points from the main curl above the inner curl are barely visible. A beautiful cent. Our grade is MS63, tied for CC#2 honors with several others in the Grellman census. 1892.66/35452943

Ex Heritage Auctions #1277:3376-Fred H. Borcherdt Collection (lot ticket included)

 MOSTLY RED N-27

LOT 569 1851 N-27 R5- MS63. Lustrous mint red fading to steel brown with 55% of the obverse and 65% of the reverse showing mellowed mint color. A near gem cent if not for a light vertical scratch in the field before the chin. The reverse is flawless. E-MDS, die state b. The repunching over the left base of the first 1 is gone but the vertical die lines at the inner curl are clear. A beautiful example of this tough die variety, CC#3 in the Grellman census behind a pair of marginally finer examples that have less mint color. 

Ex Willard C. Blaisdell (via Del Bland) 9/1976-R. E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr. (via William C. Noyes)-Fred H. Borcherdt Collection

27 Photos of all lots can be found at www.earlycentsauctions.com