1961 1 Cent CSA Bashlow Restrikes 4 Piece Set, NGC MS65 RD, MS65, MS67. Here is a unique opportunity to acquire Bashlow CSA cent restrikes in an NGC set as well as his die trials for the restrikes. The latter consists of a block of solid copper into which the striking details from the dies for the cent are impressed. The copper ingot shows the obverse and reverse impressions stamped side by side with the obverse to the left and the reverse to the right. The impressions are sharply struck with the die punched well into the soft copper. It retains much of the original red copper color with no sign of fading on the struck portion.

The NGC set consists of three Mint State one-cent coins struck in bronze, silver, and goldine. The bronze, an MS65 RD cent, is bright, lustrous, and well struck with full red color. The piece is original and clean for the grade with no abrasion marks or other distractions worthy of note. Of course the rust lumps and die effacing marks are prominent, as expected on a piece of this grade. They are also prominent on the other pieces of this set.

The piece that is struck in silver is toned a mixture of light silver-gray with highlights of light blue and slightly darker toning on the reverse fields. Its colors attest to its originality. The fields are clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other distractions. The piece is well struck as are the others in the set.

The final cent piece is struck in goldine and grades MS67. This Superb Gem piece, of course, shows virtually no visible abrasion marks and has excellent eye-appeal. Goldine is a brassy alloy with an unspecified composition.

The history of these CSA cent dies was unknown until 1961 when they were obtained by Robert Bashlow. They were originally designed by Robert Lovett, Jr., who was in fear of his life because he was a northerner who made dies for the South. Eventually they came into Bashlows possession. The obverse was unbroken and the reverse was cracked at the 1. Both dies had rust spots and chisel marks but were marginally usable. Bashlow had a medalist firm make transfer dies from the originals and struck them in 1961-62 for the Confederate centenary.