Comments:
   This is the fourth and final use of Obverse 2 and the only use of Reverse E in 1870.
Reverse E was subsequently used to strike all 1873-CC examples.
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Obverse 2
The following photo shows the attribution lines for Obverse 2. This die is easy to identify since it’s the only
obverse with the base of the 1 lining up left of centered.
1870-CC Obverse 2 attribution grid
Obverse 2 Die States
- Perfect die.
No later die states have been observed.
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Reverse E
The following photo shows the attribution lines for 1870-CC Reverse E. Reverse E is the first of the
two medium CC reverses. These can be difficult to differentiate. The second C is farther to the right on
Reverse E, and thus closer to the stem. The Reverse E mintmarks are barely wider than Reverse F.
The line from the feather tip to the upper right edge of the E in ONE passes through the upper
serif of the first C for Reverse E, while on Reverse F it just grazes the right side of the serif.
1870-CC Reverse E attribution lines
Reverse E Die States
- Perfect die.
- Faint signs of die clashing. The most notable mark is a line extending from the tip of the upper leaf to the left wing.
Reverse E is seen only in the OC-8 die marriage. In late die states the dies began to rotate. In the latest state examples
of this die marriage exhibit a 60 degree die rotation. We’ve included this end state as one of our Top-30
varieties. We estimate its rarity as R5+. Our reference example of this rotation has a state b reverse. We haven’t determined
which came first, the rotation or the clashing. It’s possible that the dies clashed, were removed for polishing, and began
rotating when returned to the coining press.
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