New Pickup 1857 PF-63 Half Cent Is It Breen-1? Previously Graded MS-64 By NGC

According to the Breen Half Cent book the B-2 dies were only used for Proofs, the B-1 dies were used for Business strikes and a FEW proofs.

This is the Proof B-1 from the Missouri cabinet and frankly it doesn't look as well struck as the OP coin.


This is the Business strike B-1 from the same collection graded MS-65 and is the finest known brown coin fro the variety. It also appears to be better struck then the "Proof". The description of the proof indicates that it has "reflective fields with moderately deep mirrors", which are NOT apparent from the image



The early proofs were NOT struck to the same quality standards that we have come to expect from proofs today and cannot be judged by the same standards. But I feel that often determination of whether or not a piece is a proof is very subjective and open to a lot of conjecture. I also feel that only an in hand examination can even hope to to come to an actual decision. Even then another knowledgeable person could easily come to a different conclusion. That appears to be what we have here. One TPG has seen it and called it a business strike, another has called it a proof. And if it was cracked out there is no guarantee that PCGS would call it a proof upon a second examination. If the OP want to try to get the B-1 desgnation on it the best bet would be to send it in just requesting the die variety be put on the holder. That might get them to just add the variety without reconsidering the proof status, but there is no guarantee in that either.

Oh and this is the Proof B-2 form the Missouri Cabinet, this pairing was only struck in proof. Notice the extreme difference in quality between this proof and the B-1 "proof"


After looking at the B-2 I have serious doubts about the B-1 "proofs, either the Missouri cabinet or the OP coin.

I agree with Condor about adding the variety number added to the holder. Without it on the holder, the same questions will come up again and again if you ever decide to part with it.

I sent an EF/AU coin to ANACS that was a desirable variety with few examples or marker images to compare it to. ANACS did not add any variety number to the holder because of the limited number of official marker images at the attribution site.

You on the other hand have the Stacks description of the variety to provide with your re-submit. Best of luck to you either way.

And either way, that's one heck of a coin!!

PCGS does NOT designate nor guarantee Breen numbers only Cohen numbers on Half Cents, says so right in their FAQ on variety submissions. https://www.PCGS.com/varietyfaq so it would be a waste of time and money plus the risk of sending the coin out.

I'd just keep the auction page cutout with the coin for when it's time to sell it. Bowers/Stack's are some of the more reputable dealers in EAC items. I think you would need to market this to a specialized collector when selling anyways, so maybe using a broker to sell it like McCawley/Grellman or similar.

There were two B1 dies in the Goldberg Missouri Cabinet Collection sale in 2014. A PR66BN (finest BN known) Lot 227 $9,488 and a PR65RB Lot 228 $12,075 I just happened to have the catalog sitting next to me when I found this thread. Condor101 is right on the money, I think the OP's coin is better struck up as well and a good shot at being the real deal proof as well. So yep it's a good upgrade and to get it into the holder I'd be happy with that alone. Many times the TPGs and even the EAC guys can't seem to agree on Proof or Business strike in these half and large cents from mid to later dates. I would not send it back to PCGS for any reason, it's in a holder hard enough to get as it is.




Check out the e-Learning ANA videos from my friend Mark Borckardt he gets into what happened at the first US Mint in only 30 minutes. There are some other good videos posted there or at NNP (see below) as well (anything by Kraljevich, Wright, Heck or Eckberg:

This one at NNP Symposium was incredible and fascinating - a look at the silver cent patterns of 1792. https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/588141

Images from 2006 heritage auction.