Owner Comments:
I have both an Uncirculated 1877 and 1877 FEILZ I will be sending to NGC in the next batch.
The 1877 Dinero is an intriguing date. Many die varieties are known, as well as a dramatic error (see below). The coin is somewhat scarce in all grades, but can be found on occasion in grades through MS 62. In grades of MS 64 or better, it is rare. This coin is the last regular decimal coin of the 1870's before the War of the Pacific, and the dies were very worn. Striking weakness is a norm on these dates, especially on the reverses. I have seen only one example with Proof-like luster.
Flatt reports the following varieties (with my comments):
1. 1877 Y.J - He notes he has not actually seen a Y.J coin, but believes they likely exist. (I have also not seen one, and think it more likely that they don't exist.)
2. 1877 Y.J. (Perhaps only one in seven coins are this variety. Very scarce.)
2a. Period centered between REPUB and PERUANA (The one example I have seen has a low "77".)
2b. Period closer to B (The one example i have seen has a high "77")
3. 1877 Y J. - High "77", filed "O" in DINO (Three and Four are the common variety. Placement of "high 77" varies.)
4. Same as number 3, instead of filled "O", extensive doubling on the reverse including the date but not J/J
4a. Period below "O" in DINO
4b. Period to the right of "O"
4c. Period to the left of "O"
He noted that variety 4 comes with difference in placement of the dot between REPUB and PERUANA.
Surprisingly, Flatt did not mention the most interesting and dramatic variety (in fact an error), the FEILZ error, which Krause does list.
Krause reports: 1877 Y.J. ($52), YJ with no dots at all ($37; not mentioned by Flatt, nor seen by me), and the error "FEILZ" ($62).
I have viewed four FEILZ error coins. The mint worker transposed the "I" and "L" by mistake. On all coins I have seen, they are YJ. with a high "77" and a strong J/J in YJ.(.) The "L" and "Z" in FEILZ touch. I consider this error to be very scarce, but not rare.
Krause would be advised to change to 1877 YJ., 1877 Y.J. and 1877 YJ. FEILZ for the main three varieties.
Only three coins graded, all at NGC: One in MS 62 and two in MS 65. I have seen a few raw mint state coins, so chances are the population reports will expand a bit for this date in the future. However, because most of the mint state coins are low-end, collectors may be hesitant to submit them.