1871 OC-12
Misplaced 187 in Denticles - Top-30 Variety

Die Pair 11 - D
Date Grid JR of C / 5-5.0 / Level
Obverse Die States a
Estimated Rarity R3+
1, 1 Vertical C, VSL
Reverse Die States a



Comments:
   This is the second and final use of Obverse 11 and the first of two uses of Reverse D.


Obverse 11

The photo below shows the Obverse 11 attribution grid. Obverse 11 exhibits a very notable misplaced date, with 187 visible in the denticles. The misplaced digits are indicated by the arrows in the photo. We’ve included this variety as one of our Top-30. Obverse 11 is shared with OC-14, so either die marriage fills this hole in a Top-30 variety set. The finest known example of this variety, graded PCGS MS65 (in an old green-label holder) and approved by CAC, was recently (April, 2020) offered in a Stacks-Bowers auction.



1871 Obverse 11 attribution grid
and misplaced date


Obverse 11 Die States
  1. Perfect die.
No later die states have been observed.


Reverse D

Reverse D features a tiny but notable lump just right of the lower edge of the upper serif of the G in GOD. This lump is usually visible on mid- to high-grade examples. It’s pictured in the next photo. This reverse displays no other notable markers, so it may be difficult to identify on coins below VF.



1871 Reverse D lump near G in GOD


Reverse D Die States
  1. Perfect die.
  2. Very light peripheral die cracks surround the reverse at the outside of the letters.
No later die states have been observed. OC-12 has been found only with reverse die state a.



Photo credits:

Obverse 11:   1871 NGC AU53, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.
Reverse D:   1871 NGC AU55, from the Osburn-Cushing reference collection.


Copyright © 2015-2021, by Dick Osburn and Brian Cushing, All rights reserved.