Houston Jan 2025

 1817 N-3 EX HINES-SHELDON-STARR

LOT 389 1817 N-3 R2 PCGS graded MS62 Brown . The obverse is frosty light olive and steel brown; the reverse is a lighter shade of brown with hints of underlying very faded mint red. Sharply struck with only microscopic marks. A splash of slightly darker toning under star 9 is the only mark visible without the aid of a strong glass. Looks mint state but there is a trace of rub on the very highest points of the devices. EDS (but not the earliest), Grellman state a, with crisp dentils on both sides and microscopic radial flowlines in the fields. The “Mouse” break on top of the head has not formed. Our grade is AU58+, close to MS60. Comes with a very nice provenance. The attribution and COL Ellsworth Collection provenance are noted on the PCGS label. Certification Number 36556.62/45340417 Ex Henry C. Hines-Dr. William H. Sheldon-Floyd T. Starr, 1949 ANA Sale, lot 876 (as UNC)-T. James Clarke, Abe Kosoff 4/21/1956:146 (as UNC)- Herbert M. Oechsner, Stack’s 9/8/1988:72 (as MS63)-J. R. Frankenfield, McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Superior 2/17/2001:643-Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth Collection, Early Cents Auctions 9/2/2022:12-Al Nelson Collection

LOT 391 1817 N-4 R3+ PCGS graded XF45 . Glossy light to medium chocolate brown with frosty lighter golden brown toning in protected areas. The surfaces are smooth and this is an attractive higher grade example of the variety. There are traces of dirt in some of the most protected areas, particularly around the wreath. The only notable marks are a couple tiny, barely visible scratches between the top of star 10 and the top of the hair bun. E-MDS, Grellman state c, with a radial die crack down to the dentils under the right side of star 1, but the area below 181 has not started to sink. Our grade is VF30+. Certification Number 1594.45/15520351

LOT 390 1817 N-3 R2 AU50 . Frosty light bluish steel brown with hints of sea-green overtone. A few small puffs of darker steel brown toning show on the obverse and peeps of faded red can be found on the reverse. Just a light touch of friction on the highest points and a few light contact marks. A fine scratch from star 1 to the throat and a pair of very tiny rim nicks under the end of the wreath ribbon are the only notable marks. E-MDS, Grellman state b early. The fields are flowlined and the “Mouse” break on top of the head under star 8 is just starting to form. A very shallow break (flattened snake) rests on top of the head where the mouse is forming, and the rounded rump of the mouse close to the hair bun is a slightly sunken depression at this point. The mouse didn’t appear all at once--it developed slowly. An interesting intermediate die state that is visible only on sharp examples.

Ex the Al Nelson Collection

Ex Rodney C. Burress-Greg Hannigan-Al Nelson Collection

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