Torres Half Cent Collection

EARLY CENTS

LOT 77 1811 Mickley Restrike R7-, MS64 Brown PCGS. Frosty tan and light brown. Sharply struck with excellent eye appeal. A tiny pinscratch on the bottom of star 2 and a small, shallow contact mark under the right side of the E in CENT are the only signs of contact, and both are inconspicuous. The best identifying mark is a couple specks of very fine carbon over the left side of the F in HALF. Both sides show the usual collection of fine die rust (microscopic lumps on the coin’s surface) from the mint dies that had been discarded and became rusted before being rescued for this final use. Our grade is MS60+. These restrikes were made sometime prior to 1859 by Joseph Mickley using scrap dies he obtained from the mint or some intermediary. The obverse die is the normal 1811 C-2 die and the reverse is from the 1802/0 C-2 marriage. Both dies were heavily rusted when acquired and were lapped to reduce the roughness prior to striking these “restrikes.” These restrikes are sometimes called Proof strikes, but the condition of the dies used and the lack of reflectivity in the fields makes such a pronouncement highly questionable. Regardless, these are extremely rare and are highly coveted additions to any advanced collection of half cents. Our grade is Mint State-60+. 1138.64/06407333 $29,000 Ex Heritage Auctions #1104:54-Anthony J. Terranova 5/2008-Ray Rouse, McCawley & Grellman Auctions/Goldbergs 9/14/2008:96 (as PCGS MS64BN, CAC)-McCawley & Grellman/Goldbergs 6/4/2017:414-Chris McCawley 4/21/2018-The J. Torres Collection of Half Cents

FIXED PRICE LIST

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