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Images courtesy of Heritage Numismatic
Auctions
Recent appearances:
Heritage Numismatic Auctions
November 1999 Santa Clara Sale (Lot 6300)
PCGS graded Proof 65. Ex - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles,
Inc.'s "Benson Collection, Part I", February 16, 18-20, 2001, lot 1074,
illustrated, where it was described as follows: "Snow-5. Die pair…This is
one of the most visually stunning 1856 Flying Eagle cent that could
possibly exist. A sharp early die state example that is virtually mark
free. Visually, there is no question of this coin's proof status. It has
an absolutely full strike and is of the highest production quality
witnessed on any 1856 Flying Eagle. This example is struck from the Snow 5
die pair, which was first described in 1992 in Rick Snow's book "Flying
Eagle and Indian Cents". Only 10 examples of this die pair have been seen
by this author, perhaps less than 35 examples of this die pair exist in
all grades. This die pair is a marriage of Obverse 2 and Reverse D as
described in Snow. It is unlisted in Breen's die list found in Chapter XV
of his Proof Encyclopedia. The obverse die is distinguished by a die chip
at the base of the U in UNITED, called the "Pointed U". The reverse is a
commonly encountered die, which is clearly identifiable by the large
raised dot under the upper left serif of the N in ONE. This is a centering
dot used by the engraver to fix one end of a protractor to draw circles on
the unfinished die to center the wreath. The obverse die shows die
striations visible in the field in three different directions. As the coin
is rotated, striations in one direction become visible and then disappear
as another set of striations appears. The reverse die has similar
striations. These striations are found on all coins from this die pair.
To the uninitiated, die striations may be confused with hairline
scratches. However, hairline scratches are grade-limiting problems caused
by aggressive brushing or wiping of the coin after it has been struck. Die
striations are polishing marks on the die, which are transferred to each
coin until the die wears down enough to obliterate them. They do not
affect the grade. In the past there had been some confusion on the part
of the grading services as to whether coins from this die pair are
actually proofs or should be called Mint State because of the presence of
these die striations. The first one identified and written up in Snow was
unquestionably a proof. In the years that followed several more coins of
the same die pair came to light, all exceptionally nice (possibly from the
same unidentified source). This writer has seen coins from this die pair
graded MS-63 (2 examples), PR-64, PR-65 (the present example), and MS-66
(Superior 6/5/2000:1003, $83,375) from PCGS, and a PR-65 from NGC.
Recently PCGS has made it clear that they will only grade the Snow 5 die
pair as a proof. The commonly encountered proof 1856 Flying Eagles (Snow
9 die pair) are also struck using Reverse D, although in a later die
state. These have been shown to be restrikes from the 1858 - 1860 "Snowdon"
restriking period. (See Longacre's Ledger, Vol. 10.2, June, 2000, "Die
states of the 1856 Flying Eagle Cent" By Richard Snow). The Snow 5 proofs
are from the earliest die states seen from both dies. There is no way to
accurately show exactly when the Snow 5 were struck, except to say that
they were struck before all Snow 9 proof 1856 Flying Eagles, possibly even
as early as 1857. Here is an extremely beautiful 1856 Flying Eagle. One
of the finest possible.", sold for $29,325.00
PCGS Proof-65. Breen “Reverse D.” Ex – American
Numismatic Rarities, LLC’s “The Classics Sale,”
July 25, 2003 ,
Lot 254, illustrated, sold for $20,700.00
PCGS Proof-65. Bowers
and Merena Galleries "The Rarities Sale" January 7, 2003, Lot 27,
illustrated, "Snow-9", sold for $19,550.00
PCGS Proof-65. Ex -
Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Long Beach Signature Sale", May
31-June 2, 2001, Lot 7515, illustrated, unsold Ex Winsor Sale
(Chapman, 12/1895); J.M. Clapp; Clapp Estate; Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr.
(1942); Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection (Bowers and Merena, 5/96, lot
606
PCGS Proof-65. Offered for $24,500 by The Mint in an advertisement in the
July 18, 2000 issue of Numismatic News.
PCGS Proof-64. Ex - Bowers
and Merena Galleries "The Rarities Sale", September 22, 2002, Lot 30,
"...Snow-9...", illustrated, sold for $12,650.00
PCGS
Proof-64. Ex - Bowers and Merena Galleries "The Rarities Sale", July 31,
2002, Lot 50, "...Snow-5, Reverse D...", illustrated, sold for $13,800.00
PCGS Proof-64. Ex - Bowers
and Merena Galleries' Robert W. Schwan Collection Sale, October 26-27,
2000, Lot 312, "Snow-4...Proof restrike, according to Richard Snow, with
the reverse die also used to produce 1858 Small Letters Proof cents", sold
for $11,500.00
Proof-64. Ex - Heritage's "Long Beach Signature Sale", May 31-June 2,
2001, Lot 5443, "Breen-1924, Judd-180", plated, sold for $21,850.00
From the Gary Nelson Collection
PCGS Proof-63. Snow-9.
Ex –
American Numismatic Rarities, LLC’s “The Classics Sale,”
July 25, 2003 ,
Lot
255,
illustrated, sold for $11,212.50.
PCGS Proof 63. Ex -
Superior Galleries' "Pre-Long Beach Sale", October 1-3, 2000, Lot 4001,
illustrated, sold for $8,912.50
PCGS Proof-63. Ex -
Bowers and Merena Galleries "The Rarities Sale", July 31, 2002, Lot 51,
"...Snow-9, Reverse D.", illustrated, sold for $9,775.00
PCGS Proof-63. Ex - Bowers
& Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II", March
15-17, 2001, Lot 1097, "Snow-9", sold for $12,650.00
PCGS MS-63. Ex - Superior Galleries "Pre-Long Beach"
Elite Coin Auction, May 25-27, 2003, Lot 2001, sold for $14,950.00
Proof-62. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M.
LaRiviere, Part III", May 21, 2001, Lot 1345, illustrated, sold for
$9,487.50
PCGS Proof-61. Ex- Heritage
Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Long Beach Sale" October 5-7, 2000, Lot 5896,
plated, sold for $8,050.00
Proof 60 plus. Ex - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.'s
"Benson Collection, Part I", February 16, 18-20, 2001, Lot 1162,
illustrated, sold for $8,337.00
Brilliant Proof. Ex -
Stack's 12/2003:24, "Snow 9", sold for $7,762.50
PCGS Proof 58. Ex - Superior Galleries' "Pre-Long Beach Sale", October
1-3, 2000, Lot 4002, illustrated, sold for $7,475.00
PCGS Proof-55. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M.
LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 1098, "Snow-9", sold for
$6,325.00
Proof-50. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M.
LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 1099, "Snow-9", sold for
$5,290.00
MS-63. Ex - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc.'s "Benson
Collection, Part I", February 16, 18-20, 2001, Lot 1163, illustrated, sold
for $7,187.00 "From the Howard R. Newcomb collection of Indian Cents,
purchased June 30, 1944 from J.G. McCallister"
MS-63. Ex - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Philadelphia 2000
Signature Sale", August 6-7, 2000, Lot 5412, plated, sold for $9,200.00
MS-63 Reverse spot tooled. Ex - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s
"Philadelphia 2000 Signature Sale", August 6-7, 2000, Lot 5413, plated,
sold for $8,625.00
PCGS MS-62. Ex - Superior Galleries' "Pre-Long Beach Sale", October 1-3,
2000, Lot 4003, illustrated, sold for $9,200.00
SEGS MS-61, "Soft Strike."
Ex - Superior Galleries' "Pre-Long Beach Sale", October 1-3, 2000, Lot
4004, "Snow-3", illustrated, not sold
PCGS MS-62, Brilliant Uncirculated, virtually a Choice specimen. Ex -
Stack's "65th Anniversary Sale", October 17-19, 2000, Lot 96, "Snow-3",
plated, sold for $8,912.00 According to Richard Snow, the copper-nickel
pieces struck from this die marriage are quite possibly the 300-500
examples sent to Congress in early February 1857
MS-60 Cleaned. Ex - Heritage Numismatic Auctions, Inc.'s "Santa Clara
Signature Sale", November 16-17, 2000, Lot 5056, illustrated, sold for
$6,503.25
Net AU-58, sharpness of AU-58. Ex - Bowers & Merena Galleries' "The
Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part II", March 15-17, 2001, Lot 1100,
"Snow-9", sold for $4,600.00
EF-40, Cleaned. Ex - Ira & Larry Goldberg Coin & Collectibles' "The
Fairchild Family Trust Collection Sale", May 28-30, 2001, Lot 177,
illustrated, sold for $4,485.00
PCGS VF-30. Ex - Superior Galleries "Pre-Long Beach" Elite Coin Auction,
May 25-27, 2003, Lot 2002, sold for $7,475.00
Net VF-25, sharpness VF-35, Lightly cleaned. Ex - Bowers & Merena
Galleries' "The Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere, Part III", May 21, 2001,
Lot 1346, illustrated, sold for $5,290.00
Sources and/or
recommended reading:
"The PCGS Population Report, October 2003" by The
Professional Coin Grading Service
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