1841 OC-4

Die Pair 2 - B
Date Grid LE / 4-4.5 / Level
Obverse Die States c
Estimated Rarity R1
1, 1 Vertical VSH, VSH
Reverse Die States a, b



Comments:
   This is the second and final use of Obverse 2 and only use of Reverse B.


Obverse 2

The photo below shows the Obverse 2 attribution grid.



1841 Obverse 2 attribution grid

Obverse 2 exhibits heavy die lines slanting down to the right above the leg, just left of the pole. These are pictured in the following photo.



1841 Obverse 2 die lines


Obverse 2 Die States
  1. Perfect die. Die lines extend from the denticles adjacent to stars 4 and 5.
  2. A sharp clash mark in the field under Miss Liberty's right arm. Die lines adjacent to stars 4 and 5 are still visible.
  3. Polished die. Die lines near stars 4 and 5 are gone. The clash mark is barely visible.
  4. Light rim cuds below the date, from a point just left of the 1st 1 to a point between the last 1 and the toe.
No later obverse die states have been observed. OC-4 is found with obverse die states c and d. This die marriage is usually seen with a small counterclockwise die rotation of about 5 degrees.

The photos which follow show the defining characteristics of the various die states.



1841 Obverse 2 - State a die lines from
denticles around stars 4-5






1841 Obverse 2 - State b clash marks under
right arm and die lines above the leg






1841 Obverse 2 - State d rim cuds



Reverse B

1841 Reverse B features several die markers that should allow attribution of examples grading VF or better. The most notable is a die line in shield recesses 4 and 5. This and several other less notable markers are shown in the following photo.



Reverse B die markers


Note that the shield lines extensions which cross the first shield border at the bottom are different than those for Reverse A. The die line in shield recess 5 is the easiest marker to identify.

Reverse B Die States
  1. Perfect die.
  2. Polished die. Die lines are less notable. The heavy line crossing from recess 4 to recess 5 is still clearly visible.
OC-4 is found with both reverse die states. This die marriage is usually seen with a small counterclockwise die rotation of about 5 degrees.



Photo credits:

Obverse 2:   1841 NGC AU55: from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.
Obverse 2, state a:   1841 PCGS Genuine AU details rims filed, from the Stacks-Bowers archives.
Obverse 2, state b:   1841 PCGS AU58, from the Stacks-Bowers archives.
Obverse 2, state d:   1841 PCGS AU50 OGH, from the Heritage archives.
Reverse B:   1841 NGC AU55, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.


Copyright © 2015-2021, by Dick Osburn and Brian Cushing, All rights reserved.