Owner Comments:
NGC graded MS 64 BN
Variety: N-8, Small Date
This cent has decent luster and is free of notable contact marks. My photographs of it also show that its central design elements are pretty well struck, but most of the stars are not fully defined.
I obtained this cent at auction in March 2009 at a Baltimore show. Aside from filling a slot in the registry, this cent is important to me mostly because it replaced an MS62 previously in the 1819 slot. (That previous coin had to go. I had bought it raw in a Stack's auction, and was very pleased with it initially. I sent it to NGC expecting 64BN. It was returned it in a body bag due to "residue". So I sent it to NCS for conservation. It came back in the 62BN NGC holder, but was ruined. The invisible residue was gone, as was the obverse luster, replaced by the appearance of improper cleaning and an annoying swipe of black near star 2. I was fortunate to lose only $60 on it when I sold it to a dealer at the same Baltimore show.)
The Bowers & Merena catalog description for this coin says:
1819 Matron Cent. N-8. Rarity-1. Small Date. MS-64 BN (NGC).
A nice-looking piece, both sides exhibit rich glossy-brown patina that is undisturbed by any notable blemishes. Direct angles do reveal the faintest remnants of rose-red luster, particularly around the peripheries. Otherwise sharply struck, some minor softness of detail is isolated at and near the rims. Randall Hoard variety, and popular for type purposes, as such.
Photo credit: Electric Peak Collection