JAB-02 BAR CENT FASCIMILE Copper

25mm - 65 struck

The dies were cut in 1862 and sold to W. Elliot Woodward prior to June of that year. Woodward forwarded them to George H. Lovett, who destroyed them per Bolen's instructions. This was Bolen's first attempt at copying a rare early American coin. It was once thought that the primary feature distinguishing the copy from the original was that the S passes over the A on the copy. However, recent research has shown that there are original Bar Cents with the S also passing over the A. The best diagnostic involves the reverse die. All originals have a spur on the near end of the second bar, which is lacking on the copies.

A MS-60 example sold for $1410 in an Aug. 2013 Stacks auction (lot 1297). A Choice uncirculated example sold for $3738 in the January 2011 Stacks auction (lot 6590). A PCGS AU-50 example sold for $1645 in their April 2017 sale, lot 7022.