 1846'O' WB.103. Medium Date. Repunched '18' and '6'. Very Choice Brilliant Uncirculated. Likely the Finest Known. The '18' each show minor repunching low, while the '6' shows repunching low on the upper curve to the serif. Fully struck throughout, a feature seldom seen from the New Orleans Mint of the period, with no signs of weakness on the claws or thighs of the eagle, and Liberty's curls are bold on her head. Toned with deep gunmetal blue and russet hues throughout, with hints of lustre in the fields. The surfaces show trivial scattered handling marks, and this one can be identified by a minor scuff behind Liberty's head in the field. Minor die cracks connect Liberty's toe to the rim, another connects the left edge of Liberty's platform above and below to the rim, another cap to rim. On the reverse die cracks extend through the tops of the legend to the rim above 'UNI' of UNITED, through the olive leaves and denomination.
In the January 2004 Census by the Liberty Seated Collector's Club no examples of this die pairing were reported in Mint State grades, and the present coin is likely the Finest Known of the variety. A beautiful example of a scarce coin.
Ex James Pryor Collection (Bowers and Merena, January 1996, lot 124); The 1975 ANA Sale (Superior, August 1975, lot 572); Stack's Sale, December 1958, lot 316.
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