1869 OC-9

1869 OC-9

Die Pair	9 - B
Date Grid	R QTR / 5-3.0 / Level
Obverse Die States	a

Estimated Rarity	R4+
1, 9 Vertical	C, VSL
Reverse Die States	c

Comments: This is the only use of Obverse 9 and the sixth and final use of Reverse B.

Obverse 9
The following photo shows the Obverse 9 attribution grid.

1869 Obverse 9 attribution grid
The only die marker notable on Obverse 9 is a small die line extending from the lower shield border into the gown. The arrow points to this feature on the photo.

Obverse 9 Die States

Perfect die.

No later die states have been observed.

Reverse B
Reverse B can be identified by a small die chip in the eagle’s mouth. This marker appears like a comma on the coin. It’s shown in the following photo.

1869 Reverse B die chip
Because of its position in a recessed area of the coin this marker is visible on even relatively low-grade examples, although because of its small size it may be difficult to detect from pictures.

Reverse B Die States

Perfect die.
Die cracks across the top of UNITED, joining the top of ST, across the top of TES O to the denticles above F, across the top of AMERIC.
Die cracks are heavier, particularly across TES O.

OC-9 is found only with reverse die state c.

Photo credits:

Obverse 9: 1869 NGC AU details, cleaned, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.
Reverse B: 1869 NGC AU53, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.