1799 1C S-189 NGC VF20 BN. This is a classic key date in the large cent series. Problem-fee examples such as this specimen , are always in demand.

The exact mintage of these pieces has been lost in history. It has long been accepted that the total mintage of the 1798 cents (1,841,745 coins) was a total of 1798 and 1799 cents. Whatever the mintage was, this is a very rare issue that has been considered to be one for 150 years.

Most, if not all of the mintage circulated for at least a couple of decades. As a result, most pieces are no finer than good, and often show damage in one way or the other. This is a common problem among early large cents, but the very small number of known pieces (1,000 is a frequently seen number), make this issue very famous for it. Correctly graded VF pieces, as this coin, are rare.

This is a late die state piece with bold details. One of the key markers in identifying the authenticity of this issue is a die chip between E in ONE and T in CENT on the reverse. This diagnostic is clearly seen on the present piece. As much as 90% of the known examples of this date have Liberty strong and the date weak, as on this example. This was caused by a misalignment by the dies. A very pleasing light brown color shows on the problem-free surfaces. This key date is a wonderful example of this popular early large cent that has proven its value for a long time.