1841 OC-1

1841 OC-1 Repunched 4

Die Pair	1 - 1840 A
Date Grid	L QTR / 5-4.0 / VS up
Obverse Die States	a

Estimated Rarity	R3+
1, 1 Vertical	VSH, C
Reverse Die States	c

Comments: This is the first of three uses of Obverse 1 and the first of three uses of Reverse 1840 A in 1841.
Reverse 1840 A is transitional, first used for 1840 die marriage OC-1. For both obverse and reverse the third use is a re-marriage of these same two dies.

Obverse 1
The photo below shows the Obverse 1 attribution grid.

1841 Obverse 1 attribution grid
and die lines

Obverse 1 exhibits heavy die lines slanting down to the right from the lower right edge of the shield into the gown and rock, shown by the arrows on the attribution grid photo.

Obverse 1 Die States

Perfect die. Repunching above the top and crossbar of the 4. Heavy unfinished areas around the right arm and extending from the right end of the rock to the rim. See the pictures which follow.
Polished die. Repunching at the top of the 4 has been removed. Unfinished areas are still clearly visible.
Further die polishing. Unfinished areas greatly reduced but still visible.
Tiny rim cuds below 84.

No later die states have been observed. OC-1 is found only with obverse die state a.

The next two pictures show the features characteristic of Obverse 1 die state a.

1841 Obverse 1 state a repunched 4 and
unfinished area between toe and rim

1841 Obverse 1 state a die lines and
unfinished areas around arm and drapery

The characteristics shown above quickly disappear as the die is polished in later die states. The photo below shows the rim cud which defines state d of Obverse 1.

1841 Obverse 1 state d rim cud

Reverse 1840 A

Reverse 1840 A is transitional, first used in the 1840 OC-1 die marriage. Minor die markers are visible on mid- to high-grade examples. The following photo shows these markers, extensions of the vertical shield lines above and below.

Reverse 1840 A die markers

Reverse 1840 A Die States

Perfect die. In this early state faint die lines are visible slanting down to the left from the denticles above IC. These will be visible only on high-grade coins, strong XF or better. This and the following die state aren't seen on either of the 1841 die marriages since the die clashed and was polished while being used in 1840.
Light clash marks in shield recesses.
Polished die. The light die lines above IC are no longer visible.

OC-1 is found only with reverse die state c. Both the die clashing and the polishing which removed the die lines occurred during the 1840 usage.

The photo below shows the clash marks which define states b and c of Reverse 1840 A.

Reverse 1840 A clash marks

Photo credits:

Obverse 1, date and repunched 4: 1841 PCGS AU53, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.
Obverse 1, state a: 1841 NGC AU58+, from the Heritage archives.
Obverse 1, state d: 1841 NGC MS61, from the Heritage archives.
Reverse 1840 A: 1841 NGC AU55, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.