A lovely example for the grade with steel gray and iridescent toning on both sides. Hints of satiny lustre remain beneath the toning. This example is one of our recommendations for the connoisseur of natural, arguably original toning and surfaces. As a die variety, this may be scarcer than the Rarity-3 rating indicates. Just 11 examples were recorded in the Dime Census. Consider that only five die marriages had 10 or less examples reported. Coins recorded in the Dime Census included this example (as EF-40), two graded EF-45, and one AU-50. Perhaps two or three Proofs are also known.
First use of the obverse die before JR-3 and also the first reverse die use before JR-5.
Perfect obverse and reverse dies.
Purchased April 1981 at an Indiana coin show.