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FUN Signature US Coin Sale 1251 4-6 & 8-9 Jan 2017
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Proof Braided Hair Half Cents
1840 1/2 C Second Restrike PR65 Red and Brown NGC. B-3, R.6. During a hiatus of circulation-strike half cents from 1835 until 1849, the Philadelphia Mint struck a small number of proofs, dated 1836 and 1840 through 1849. Coins struck during those years are identified today as Originals, while later issues bearing the same dates are termed Restrikes. Two distinct series of the latter issues were coined from different reverse dies. While the Original strikes have large berries in the wreath, the First Restrike proofs have small berries and a sharply doubled T in CENT. The Second Restrike half cents, such as this 1840, also have small berries in the wreath, and die file marks over the letters RICA in AMERICA. All of these proofs are rare, and about 18 examples of the 1840 Second Restrike proof half cents are known.
Both sides of this piece have fully mirrored fields that display partial original orange mint color, with mottled blue and green toning over the light brown surfaces. File marks around part of the obverse rim were obviously done within the Mint at the time this piece was struck, eliminating the raised wire rim that Mint officials considered undesirable. This piece is listed as coin number 5 of 16 in Rick Coleman's Monograph of Second Restrike Proof Half Cents. The second edition of his work was published in 1999, and includes the most recent condition census of these proofs. Our EAC grade PR63.
Ex: Charles Conover Collection (B. Max Mehl, 5/1914), lot 795; Charles J. Dupont; Anderson Dupont Sale (Stack's, 11/1954), lot 1130; Dorothy Nelson; TAD Collection (Stack's, 3/1975), lot 857; M.B. Simons & Associates, Ltd.; R.E. Naftzger, Jr.; 1996 ANA Sale (Heritage, 8/1996), lot 6490.
1840 1/2 C Second Restrike PR65 Red and Brown NGC. B-3, R.6. During a hiatus of circulation-strike half cents from 1835 until 1849, the Philadelphia Mint struck a small number of proofs, dated 1836 and 1840 through 1849. Coins struck during those years are identified today as Originals, while later issues bearing the same dates are termed Restrikes. Two distinct series of the latter issues were coined from different reverse dies. While the Original strikes have large berries in the wreath, the First Restrike proofs have small berries and a sharply doubled T in CENT. The Second Restrike half cents, such as this 1840, also have small berries in the wreath, and die file marks over the letters RICA in AMERICA. All of these proofs are rare, and about 18 examples of the 1840 Second Restrike proof half cents are known.
Both sides of this piece have fully mirrored fields that display partial original orange mint color, with mottled blue and green toning over the light brown surfaces. File marks around part of the obverse rim were obviously done within the Mint at the time this piece was struck, eliminating the raised wire rim that Mint officials considered undesirable. This piece is listed as coin number 5 of 16 in Rick Coleman's Monograph of Second Restrike Proof Half Cents. The second edition of his work was published in 1999, and includes the most recent condition census of these proofs. Our EAC grade PR63.
Ex: Charles Conover Collection (B. Max Mehl, 5/1914), lot 795; Charles J. Dupont; Anderson Dupont Sale (Stack's, 11/1954), lot 1130; Dorothy Nelson; TAD Collection (Stack's, 3/1975), lot 857; M.B. Simons & Associates, Ltd.; R.E. Naftzger, Jr.; 1996 ANA Sale (Heritage, 8/1996), lot 6490.