Hykyrone - Liberty Head Quarter Eagle Circulation Issue Set
1843-O Small Date

Owner Comments:

This is a very rare transition coin variety VP-001 using the obverse of the small date (Winter's small date obverse 1) with the large date reverse (Winter's large date reverse A) showing the double punched mint mark. It was sold as a variety 8 although it currently does not show-up in Douglas Winter's "Gold Coins Of The New Orleans Mint" 3rd edition. The reverse is very sharply struck and also shows the vertical shield lines extending into the horizontal lines along with the double punched mint mark.
Walter Breen in his "Complete Encyclopedia Of U.S. And Colonial Coins" describes the 6172 variety - "Stars thin, attenuated; either the hub was weakly impressed, or obv. die was reground. Rev. as next [Large Date], base of mintmark repunched." My belief is that the die was lapped in an attempt to extend its life as the main portrait shows a rough finish often attributed to a rusty die especially at the hair and LIBERTY. There are also 2 rust lumps evident at the jaw/neck transition.