Kathy & Tim write: Can you supply information about a United State 1806 cent overstamped 1807? It is in fair condition.
There are a great number of die varieties on early U.S. coins because of the crude method of manufacture. Dies were expensive and it was the usual practice to make working dies that were missing the lettering and dates. The lettering and dates were punched in by hand as the dies were needed.
Sometimes a dated die was left over from a previous year that was still in serviceable condition. The last year digit was filled in and then the new digit was punched into that place on the die. The 1807/6 was a case where the workman didn’t take the trouble to remove the digit but simply stamped the “7” over the “6”. There are two known dies where there was no effort made to remove the “6”. These two varieties are the most notorious of the repunched coins of the Draped Bust Large Cents (1796-1807):
I’ll assume that your coin is not in “Fair” condition (almost not identifiable) but is in VG to about VF condition (average circulated).
Variety I – Blunt “one” of date (“7” in virtual contact with bottom of the draped bust): – Value range in the above grades: $1,500 – $10,000+ (higher grade pieces are worth a good deal more).
Variety II – Pointed “one” of date (“7” does not touch bottom of draped bust). This variety is also called Large 7 over 6. Value range in the above grades: $15 – $200+ (higher grade pieces are worth double or triple this price).
If you wish, you can have your coin authenticated and attributed by the American Numismatic Association or graded by NGC or PCGS. See the Coinsite Links Page for further information.
