1799 Large Cent - Sheldon 189

1799 LARGE CENT -
SHELDON 189

Rarity: Common

Significant examples:
PCGS VF-30. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Rarities Sale", January 3, 2001, Lot 30, "B-3", illustrated, sold for $20,700.00 From the sale of the Massachusetts Historical Society Collection, November 1994, Lot 2049

Recent appearances:
PCGS VF-25 (illustrated above). Ex - Superior Galleries "The ANA 2001 National Money Show Auction", March 8-9, 2001, Lot 15, unsold, "...free of any spots or corrosion, but it does show many small, light contact marks, including a hairline scratch in the field from the chin to the dentils at right. The date and LIBERTY are both strong and the reverse legends are complete. E-MDS, the lump defect over T in CENT weak and minor dentil fusing over the first A in AMERICA...EAC graded net F12"

1799 S-189. Rarity-2+. Perfect Date. VF-25 (PCGS). Ex – American Numismatic Rarities, LLC’s “The Classics Sale,” July 25, 2003 , Lot 116, illustrated, sold for $23,000.00.

VF-20, Tooled, burnished. Ex - Heritage's "Long Beach Signature Sale", May 31-June 2, 2001, Lot 5374 , plated, unsold

Fine-15. Ex - John F. McCoy - W. Elliot Woodward - W. Elliot Woodward 5/1864, Lot 670 at $27; Henry L. Jewett - Edward Cogan 1/1876, Lot 2098 at $14 - George W. Merritt - Ed Frossard 1/1879, Lot 131 at $30 - Ed Frossard - Ed Frossard 4/1880, Lot 391 at $24 - H. Rogers - S. K. Harzfeld 1/1881, Lot 218 at $25.10 - H. G. Sampson - unknown - Howard R. Newcomb - J. C. Morgenthau & Co. #458 2/45, Lot 273 at $80. - James Kelly - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.'s "The Benson Collection - Part I", February 16, 18-20, 2001, Lot 322, where it was described (in part) as follows: "1799. Sheldon-189, High Rarity-2. Del Bland graded Fine-15. Lovely, semi-glossy dark steel surfaces from a protective coat of wax. The obverse is well centered with the date sharp and the upper portion of LIBE weakly struck as is the lower left reverse which is somewhat off-center and displays some minor handling marks, the worst being a nick across the leaves below C of CENT. This is a classic rarity and very desirable for a 1799 cent. The obverse is plated in the 1879 Frossard Monograph...The obverse surfaces are very appealing, and the only identifying mark is a small rim tick above the left serif of the Y in LIBERTY. The date and Liberty are well struck, showing strong hair definition. On the reverse there is a tiny rim mark over the D of UNITED and the lower portions of reverse devices are weak, mostly due to the slightly off-center strike..."

Sharpness of Fine-15 net VG-7. Ex - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.'s "Benson Collection, Part I", February 16, 18-20, 2001, Lot 322, "Sheldon 189, High Rarity-2", illustrated, sold for $9,775.00

ANACS Fine-12. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 2470, "B-3, Normal Date", sold for $5,290.00

Fine-12, Corroded. Ex - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Long Beach Signature Sale", May 31-June 2, 2001, Lot 5373, not illustrated, sold for $2,357.50

VG-10. Ex - Stack's "The University of Notre Dame Sale", March 20-21, 2001, Lot 89, "Sheldon-189", plated, sold for $2,875.00

G-6. Ex - Bowers and Merena Galleries' Robert W. Schwan Collection Sale, October 26-27, 2000, Lot 121, "Sheldon-189", plated, sold for $2,070.00

Net G-4, sharpness of G-6. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 2471, "B-3, normal date", sold for $1,638.75

Del Bland graded Almost Good-3. Ex - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.'s "Benson Collection, Part I", February 16, 18-20, 2001, Lot 324, "Sheldon 189, High Rarity-2", illustrated, sold for $1,092.00

AG-3. Ex- Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "October 2000 Long Beach Sale", October 5-7, 2000, Lot 6639, "Sheldon-189", not illustrated, sold for $1495.00

AG-3. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 2472, "B-3, normal date", sold for $1,725.00

Sources and/or recommended reading:
"Penny Whimsy" by Dr. William H. Sheldon

"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins" by Walter Breen

Relevant collector organizations:
Early American Coppers Club