Comments: The primary diagnostic points for Obverse 1 are date position and placement of Star 1 with respect to the rock. There is faint repunching above Star 1 and below Star 9. In this early die state, the date punch is bold though its depth in the obverse die is much lower than the base. This is an important observation that arose when establishing the separate F-101 and F-101a die states. During the later F-101a die state, the date is weak and barely visible on some examples due to die lapping. The depth of the base and date punch on the obverse die was equally reduced with the date nearly eliminated. Some collectors may argue that the plate coin exhibits weak denticles and metal flow lines into those denticles indicating the obverse die had already seen significant usage. For the sake of simplicity, I've chosen to label the pre-lapping die state as F-101 and the post lapping die state as F-101a.

Reverse A exhibits a Large O mintmark that is centered and high. The legend and denomination are bold and well struck on the plate coin. During its early die state, Reverse A only shows a a small die crack from wreath to AME(R)ICA.

Variety 101 is a rare die state variety as compared to Variety 101a where both obverse and reverse dies were lapped removing most of the obverse date punch details. The plate coin was purchased at a Bowers and Merena auction during summer of 2008. The author struggled since 1992 with the task of locating an early die state example from the Obverse 1 and Reverse A die pairing.

1840-O Varieties 101, 101a, 102, 102a, 103, 103a, 104, 104a, 105, 106, 106a, 107, 108, 109, 109a, 110, 110a, 111

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