Variety Equivalents: Breen 3b, Gilbert 8

Notes:
This sub-variety has "small" edge letters.  By way of comparison, the D and the O of DOLLAR are the same size on the "Small Edge Letters" sub-variety and there is a larger-than-expected gap between the R and the E of HUNDRED.  On the "Large Edge Letters" sub-variety, the O of DOLLAR is larger than the D, and HUNDRED is evenly spaced.

Images courtesy of Gene Braig

Significant examples:
"VF-25".  Ex - Tom Katman (who cherry-picked the coin at a 1973 coin show) - Jim McGuigan, sold for $1,250 in August 1983) - Dr. Wallace Lee - Superior Galleries "Pre-Long Beach" Elite Coin Auction, May 25-27, 2003, Lot 82, sold for $4,600 - New Jersey collector.  Believed to be sixth or seventh finest known.

Recent appearances:
(illustrated above).  Ex - Richard Shimkus - Don Valenziano, August 1989 - Gene Braig

Fine-15.  Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 2337, "Breen-3b" sold for $690.00

Sources and/or recommended reading:
"American Half Cents - The 'Little Half Sisters' (Second Edition)" by Roger S. Cohen, Jr.

"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia Of U.S. And Colonial Coins" by Walter Breen

"The Half Cent Die State Book, 1793-1857" by Ronald P. Manley

Relevant collector organizations:
Early American Coppers Club