1859 1C Shield Reverse J-228 Indian Cent PCGS PR64 (PHOTO SEAL)

Choice Proof (14: 4,5,5). The reverse of 1860 design combination. Only 10 true proofs have been traced. There are about as many graded as Proof that are not Proof. This issue has been listed as a Pattern (J-228) but has recently been shown to be a regular issue struck late in 1859. The MS examples are widely available, but the proofs are very rarely seen. This example has deep mirrors and significant die striations, which show when the coin is turned in the light. As a regular issue proof, this would be rarer than the 1864 With L. It takes time for the collecting community to register the "normalization" of this as a regular issue. It is now in the Red Book as a regular issue. This example was in the famed Stewart Blay collection.