Comments: Obverse 8 die has suffered a severe cracking event with a shelf like die crack from the rim through the bottom of the date digits and back down to the rim. The metal area between the bottom of date digits and denticles is raised and elevated as compared to remainder of field surface. The right side of die is also badly cracked. A significant die crack starts at Liberty's head, then down through Star 8, the cap and remainder of stars into rim.

Based on the Variety 110a die state and light die crack findings, it is assumed that Reverse J also exhibits faint die cracks but those are covered by plate coin toning. More research is required to confirm the extent of reverse die cracks.

Questions remain on the type of coining event that would cause such a massive obverse die disintegration. Only one earlier die state example is known (Variety 110a plate coin) that shows some progressive nature to the die's failure.

This variety/die state is very rare and is rated as R7 in VF or better. It should bring a substantial premium. If located, I would appreciate the finding being reported for inclusion in this web-book reference.

1852 Varieties 101, 102, 102a, 103, 104, 105, 105a, 105b, 106, 107, 108, 108a, 109, 110, 110a, 110b, 111, 112, 112a, 112b, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117

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