1794 Liberty Cap Half Cent. C-1a. Rarity-3. Normal Head. Large Edge

ear-Mint State 1794 C-1a Half Cent The Manley Plate Coin 1794 Liberty Cap Half Cent. C-1a. Rarity-3. Normal Head. Large Edge Letters. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC. Manley Die State 3.0, Fuhrman Die State 2. Rich caramel hues dominate the patina of this exceptional Choice AU survivor. An ancient scratch follows the truncation of Liberty's portrait but the surfaces are otherwise free from notable marks. True friction is difficult to encounter and the overall complexion certainly teases at Mint State preservation. Intensely lustrous and glossy, with a pronounced rim of denticles surrounding each side. The 1794 is properly considered a distinct type within the half cent series, as even a casual comparison with the Small Head style of 1795 to 1797 will reveal a dramatic difference. It has been our experience that of all the half cent types, the 1794 is far and away the most difficult to obtain in high grades, handily eclipsing the even more famous 1793 Head Left, and by a large factor. Indeed, although the 1794 is not rare as a date in comparison to the famous 1793, all bets are off when it comes to pieces such as this, offering a combination of high grade, nicely preserved surfaces, and excellent eye appeal. Using these criteria, the 1794 Large Head type is the most difficult to obtain in the entire series. A type collector would be hard pressed to find a nicer example in a Choice AU holder, especially with approval by CAC. Copper supplies for the early Philadelphia Mint were from many different sources and the quality and purity of the metal varied. For 1794 the metal, after refining at the Mint, remained generally unsatisfactory, probably due to impurities and other unwanted elements, although we are not aware of any analysis that has ever been done. Not generally known is the fact that copper half cents and cents were usually profitable for the Mint to produce, as after the early years the amount of copper needed to make these coins was less than face value. This in contrast to the full or nearly full weight of metal required for silver and gold coins which, in any event, were struck at the request of bullion depositors and not on government account. Provenance: From the Alan J. Harlan Collection. Earlier from our March 2020 Auction, lot 3091. The primary plate coin for the 1794 C-1a attribution in the 1998 Manley reference on half cent die states, p. 9. PCGS Population (C-1a attribution only): 4; 3 finer (MS-64+ BN finest). CAC Stickered Population (all die marriages of the issue): 26 in all AU grades. PCGS# 35018. BASE PCGS# 35015. NGC ID: 2223. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.

Estimate:£0.74

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