What would you grade this 1814 Large Cent? 0

[ldhair]

This is the plain 4, S-295. What would you grade it? Feel free to put a value on it, if you wish. I'm not seeing much from auction results.

 

 

[zadok]

...VF30/35....

[Just Bob]

I agree with VF

 

[J P M]

Nice Cent  ..VF

[Mike Meenderink]

XF 40 BN  Due to the badly worn dies used for these coins including the two different die marriages (S294 cross 4 S295 Plain 4) these coins were not fully struck and the weakness in the details is as struck. This coin is in decent shape. I would value it at around $1,700.00 raw. Graded and encapsulated over $2000.00. IMO Nice!

Edited September 16, 2023 by Mike Meenderink

[RWB]

Nice. F to VF w/verdigris.

[Coinbuf]

I am also in the VF35 camp, the verdigris and a possible old cleaning are the wildcards on if it would straight grade or not.   If the rev photo is accurate, it gives the impression of having been cleaned long ago.   Value, $900 to 1.2K in a straight graded VF35 holder, $500-$600ish if it got a details grade.

[Sandon]

    Although coins of this type can be difficult to grade due to striking peculiarities, I think that this coin should be graded in the mid to upper VF range (25 to 30) rather than XF. The ANA grading guide (7th ed. 2013) states that to grade XF 40, on the obverse "[l]ight wear extends from forehead to below LI in LIBERTY.  The curls near the ear are worn but clearly defined".  (Emphasis added.) For the reverse, an XF 40 will display "[s]light wear on bow and most of the leaves. Three-quarters of ribbing shows in leaves." (Emphasis added.) This 1814 plain 4 Classic Head large cent shows little detail in the curls near the ear and no more than half the ribbing in the leaves. 

   Here is an 1813 Classic Head large cent that I acquired some years ago and graded XF. Last year NGC graded it XF 40. It exhibits noticeably more detail than the 1814 that is the subject of this topic.

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sandon
had to rewrite several sentences to eliminate strikethrough that appeared due to an apparent malfunction.

[Mike Meenderink]

It must be seen in 3 D but it is very close. I do not see verdigris or at least any that is of much consequence for the age. I believe RWB sees the black spots in the low areas and doesn't like it. I don't either. I believe this is a severely worn late die stage coin. . The "apparent" wear obv and rev on the coin is not even. That tells me it started out as a poor coin. Denticles on obverse and reverse are completely missing. The stars are well struck one side but the others are bad. I doubt this coin even had 1/2 the details as the above 1813 when struck. The planchets were better for 1814 but the over used worn dies were still an issue. 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

I agree that it's a VF30.  I am unsure about that little crud/verdigris, but I don't think it would hold it back.  It's a nice coin, and these classic head large cents are very tricky to find with smooth surfaces.  I think the TPGs would be forgiving on this one. I have seen worse in straight graded holders.  Here is my only classic head large cent:

Edited September 17, 2023 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

[ldhair]

Thank you all for the opinions. I figured 30 to 35. I bought it from David Bowers about 30 years ago. He graded it as a 30. I took the images about 20 years ago. I'll do better after dusting off the coin and my camera system. Next the coin goes in for grading and on to auction. I'll try to update this thread when it's all over. 

[Henri Charriere]

VF-37.  An extra two points for the Bower's provenance.  🤣