A Comparison Of High-Grade 1859 W9/8 Cents

First, the PCGS Red-Brown examples, of which I found three in MS-65.

#1 - PCGS MS-65 RB - Cert #4715709
Pedigree: Mason/Canadiana/Uncommon Cents

Known Public Auctions /Auctioneer/Sale Price
Oct 26, 2002, Lot 502 /Michael Walsh/$ 3,080 CAD
Jan 4, 2009, Lot 20322/Heritage/$ 4,600 USD

Notes: Turner Dies OI1/RD4. Graded between 1995 and 1998. This could be the PCGS example offered on a 2004 TCNC (C&P) fixed price list for $6,399 CAD.

I own this coin and my unretouched images of it in good light are below:




For comparison, here are the 2009 Heritage images of the same coin.




#2 - PCGS MS-65 RB - Cert #4622897
Pedigree: Norweb/Blay/Unknown

Known Public Sales:
Nov 15, 1996, Lot 4/Bowers and Morena/$ 1,210 USD
Feb 8, 2023, Lot 1300586/Great Collections/$20,813 USD

Notes: Turner Dies OC5/RD6. Graded between 1995 and 1998. This could be the PCGS example offered on a 2004 TCNC (C&P) fixed price list for $6,399 CAD.

Photos from Great Collections



#3 - PCGS MS-65 RB - Cert #40246181; NGC MS-65 RB - Cert #3596606-007
Pedigree: Lantern Collection

Known Public Sales:
Jan 9, 2015, Lot 338/Stacks Bowers/$ 1,880 USD

Notes: Turner Dies OI1/RD2. A heck of a buy in an NGC holder in 2015, as it later cross-graded at PCGS.

Photos from Stacks Bowers

Now, the NGC coins:

One of the two NGC examples in MS-65 RB now resides in a PCGS holder as coin number 3 above. NGC has graded one other example as MS-65 RB, but its whereabouts are unknown and no photo was found. It possibly could be Coin #5 above, or not.


Now, the ICCS coins:

#6 - ICCS MS-65 Red - Cert # Unknown
Pedigree: Unknown

Known Public Sales:
Jul 19, 2008, Lot 1163/TCNC/$17,500 CAD
Feb 20, 2009, Lot 2638/Charles Moore/Did Not Sell
Jun 26, 2009, Lot 1312/TCNC/Did Not Sell
May 15, 2010, Lot 637/TCNC/$15,930 CAD
Jul 6, 2010, Lot 696/TCNC/Did Not Sell
Oct 22, 2010, Lot 1743/TCNC/$11,500 CAD
Feb 22, 2013, Lot 2009/Charles Moore/$ 9,250 CAD
Oct 24, 2015, Lot 470/TCNC/Did Not Sell

Notes: Turner Dies OB11/RD9. All of these sales were likely to the auction book and not to a buyer. One of the two coins in the 2013 ICCS Census.

Photos from TCNC



#7 - ICCS MS-65 Red - Cert # Unknown
Pedigree: Unknown

Known Public Sales:
Feb 25, 2011, Lot 2021/Charles Moore/$12,000 CAD
Jul 16, 2011, Lot 1975/TCNC/Did Not Sell
Feb 17, 2012, Lot 672/TCNC/Did Not Sell
Apr 28, 2012, Lot 215/TCNC/Did Not Sell
Jun 22, 2012, Lot 2033/Charles Moore/$ 9,250 CAD
Jul 20, 2012, Lot 808/TCNC/Did Not Sell
Sep 22, 2012, Lot 174/TCNC/$ 8,909 CAD
Oct 26, 2012, Lot 623/TCNC/Did Not Sell

Notes: Turner Dies OB11/RD9. All the sales before Sep 22, 2012 were likely to the auction book and not to a buyer. One of the two coins in the 2013 ICCS Census.

Photos from TCNC



#8 - ICCS MS-65 Red - Cert # Unknown
Pedigree: Victoria North Collection/Unknown

Known Public Sales:
Feb 12, 2015, Lot 1333/Charles Moore Legacy/Did Not Sell (start was $7,000 CAD)

Notes: This coin was probably graded after 2013 ICCS census was published.

Photos from Charles Moore

It's always great to see your coins, Rob. You keep us 59'ers always with a set of sunglasses handy. Your body of work on Vickies is second to none, with award upon award upon award.

Fascinating topic and great examples!

Very cool; thanks for sharing.

What is 'Uncommon Cents'?

I think there are 4 MS-66 1859's in the 2016 ICCS population report, but I don't have it in front of me as I'm working out of town.