 1801 O.101 (R-3). Extremely Fine or finer. An exemplary coin for the grade, with traces of prooflike reflectivity which survived brief circulation. The fields and devices have scattered handling marks, none of which are particularly distracting. Toned with medium russet and blue near the rims, with the centers enhanced by golden accents which add further depth to the devices. Boldly struck throughout, even the tiny curl on Liberty's neck is sharply defined. Numismatic curiosities abound on the reverse, as that die rusted severly before coins were struck, with evidence of die rust causing raised specks and lumps on the coins struck. Some of these are found near the arrows, another between 'ER' of AMERICA. Such nuances are part of the charm of numismatics, and attest to the challenges faced by the early Mint employees who had to maintain and engrave dies at a furious pace. A collector will have to search long and hard to find one of the few examples of this date in higher grade than seen here. PCGS XF40.
Ex James Pryor Collection (Bowers and Merena, January 1996, lot 4); Auction '80 (Stack's Session, July 1980, lot 1282).
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