Noteworthy Mint State 1826/5 Cent

1826/5 Matron Head Cent. N-8. Rarity-2. MS-62 BN (PCGS).

Offering superior quality and eye appeal for the variety, both sides of this cent exhibit hard, tight surfaces with a lovely satin to softly frosted texture. Warmly toned in medium brown, hints of autumn-orange in the protected areas around many of the design elements represent faded original color. The strike is well centered on both sides, although denticulation is absent along the upper right obverse and lower reverse borders. Several of the stars lack full radial lines, and there is a hint of softness to the high points of Liberty's portrait and the wreath. Smooth with minimal carbon, there is not much separating this coin from an even higher certified grade. A tiny, faint spot at the top of Liberty's head below star 9 and a dull mark on the bridge of the nose are the most useful identifiers. Popular with Guide Book variety collectors, Newcomb-8 is the only die marriage of the 1826/5 Matron Head cent. This is an attractive PCGS-certified Mint State example that is sure to please. Noyes Die State B/B. The overdate feature is diagnostic for this, the only obverse die of the 1826/5 cent. Star 6 is entirely left of the point of the coronet, and there is a tiny die scratch from the upper left point of star 13. On the reverse, there is a bold center dot, the letters AMERI in AMERICA are close at their base, and the letter O in OF leans left. N-8 is the only die marriage that corresponds to the 1826/5 Guide Book listing for this issue. The Noyes B/B die state exhibits crumbling within the top loop of the digit 6 in the date that has obscured the underdigit. The obverse die is beginning to deteriorate with flowlines in the fields, denticles fading, and the stars drawing toward the border. The die scratch at the point of star 13 is faint, yet still discernible with the aid of a loupe. For the reverse, we note light die crumble within the top left and lower right of the letter N in ONE. Die deterioration has resulted in light flowlining and deterioration of the denticles on that side, as well.

PCGS# 1648.

PCGS Population: 3; 12 finer (MS-66 BN finest). All grading events at this service are in the BN category.