TNA HOF Collection Pt 1

SECOND FINEST 1845 N-1 EX STARR-NAFTZGER

LOT 1071 1845 N-1 R4 AU58. Frosty olive and steel brown with hints of very faded mint color peeking through in the protected areas on both sides. The fields are satiny and the eye appeal of this cent is excellent. Looks mint state but there is a hint of friction on the very highest points of the devices. The only marks are a couple tiny ticks in the field under star 5 and a pair of thin planchet chips in the field over the N in ONE. A small, shallow low spot (caused by debris on the die) connects star 13 to the dentils. E-MDS, die state a, with fine die lines from the dentils under star 1 extending slightly into the field above. Called AU55 and CC#2 in the Noyes census, his photo #31255. CC#3 behind two marginally finer examples in the Grellman census. Removed from a PCGS holder graded MS64BN (PCGS label #397740.64/18900069 included, and it shows the attribution and Naftzger Collection provenance).

Ex Henry C. Hines-Dr. William H. Sheldon-Floyd T. Starr, Stack’s 6/13/1984:452-R. E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr.-Naftzger Estate, McCawley & Grellman Auctions/ Goldbergs 9/7/2009:680-Fred H. Borcherdt Collection (includes the Naftzger collection envelope)

THE DUPONT-TAD 1845 N-2 BREEN PROOF

LOT 1072 1845 N-2 R1 MS63. Beautiful steel brown and light olive with underlying lighter brown on the obverse. The fields are reflective and the only marks are faint hairlines on the obverse. EDS with the sharpest possible strike; it looks like a choice Proof. In fact Walter Breen called it a Proof on page 80 in his 1977 reference Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Proof Coins 1722-1977. Other researchers have questioned his assessment but this cent does look at least as nice as many of the Proof-Only issues of 1840-1857 large cents. And it certainly is comparable to the 1846 N-21 PCGS graded PR64BN offered later in this sale. When I wrote the 2021 reference The Die Varieties of United States Large Cents 1840-1857 I had not yet examined the DuPont-TAD cent offered here. I referenced the Breen proof claim in a note at the bottom of the page and stated “the existence of a Proof strike of N-2 is highly doubtful.” Now I am not so sure. This cent does look like a Proof. You decide.

Ex Charles J. DuPont, Stack’s Anderson-DuPont Sale, 9/24/1954:850-Dorothy E. Nelson-Toby and Dorothy E. (Nelson) Syzmanski (The TAD Collection), Stack’s 2/4/1976:146-Tom Morley 4/25/1980-Fred Clymer-Fred H. Borcherdt Collection

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

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