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1856
Small Date
Variety 120
Obverse 18: Weak Date Punch, High Date, Slight Upward Slope
Reverse T: Perfect Die
Obverse 18 Reverse T
Obverse Diagnostic Point
Comments: Variety 120 has proven to be a very challenging date position variety that is rarely seen in EF or better. There are no obvious diagnostics for Obverse 18 other than the date position which has a slight upward slope and lightly punched.
There are no diagnostics to note on Reverse T.
The upper plate coin was located during June 2014 at a New England dealer show after years of searching for a nice original upgrade. A second PCGS EF45 example appeared during September 2015 as a consignment to Gerry Fortin Rare Coins and is also shown as the lower plate coin. The initial example of this variety was found in a 100 piece hoard around 1992 and remained as the web-book plate coin until June 2014.
Plate Coin: G. Fortin Collection, PCGS EF45 (above top), M. Lebow Collection, PCGS EF45 (above below)