Houston Jan 2025

 THE NAFTZGER-GERSON-HOLMES N-8

LOT 395 1817 N-8 R2 AU58 . Lustrous medium brown and light chocolate. Just a hint of friction on the highest points from mint state. The best identifying marks are a speck of darker olive toning near the dentils over star 8, another left of star 12, and dull nicks or tiny voids on the rim at N & D in UNITED. LDS, Grellman state d, with a fully developed “finger Mouse” break that extends up to the left from the top of the head under the left edge of star 8. A shallow patch of die roughness or “spalling” shows in the field under star 5 (a normal feature of the intermediate and later die states). A very attractive example of the skinny, underfed “Finger Mouse.” Graded AU55 in the Noyes census, his photo #36791. Comes with a wonderful provenance. Removed from a PCGS holder graded MS62BN (PCGS label #36571.62/15104734 included, and it shows the attribution and Holmes provenance). Ex M. H. Bolender 9/8/1951:291-Willard C. Blaisdell-C. Douglas Smith-R. E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr.-Herman Halpern, Stack’s 3/16/1988:322-Daniel W. Holmes, Jr., McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Goldbergs 5/30/2010:45-Adam Mervis, Heritage Auctions 1/10/2014:2021-David Johnson 3/7/2022-Al Nelson Collection (includes the Holmes collection envelope and the lot tickets from the Halpern and Holmes sales)

LOT 396 1817 N-9 R2 EF40 . Very attractive glossy light chocolate brown mixed with subtle wisps of darker olive brown on the obverse. Smooth with excellent eye appeal. The only marks are a fine diagonal scratch across the line under CENT and a small rim bruise at the A in STATES. M-LDS, die state c early, with a faint “Ghost Mouse” resting on top of the head where the full mouse break is just starting to form. The “Ghost Mouse” is a slightly sunken version of the raised mouse that sits on top of the head under the left side of star 8.

LOT 397 1817 N-10 R1 EF40 . Glossy medium chocolate brown. Smooth and quite attractive with hard, slightly reflective fields thanks to a fresh pair of dies. Just a few marks including a diagonal nick on the neck and a small carbon spot on the bottom right edge of the hair bun. EDS, Grellman state a, with crisp dentils around both sides.

Ex Coin Galleries Mail Bid Sale (Stack’s) 2/18/1998:2592-unknown-Chris McCawley 12/2019-Al Nelson Collection

Ex Douglas F. Bird-Al Nelson Collection

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