Vino, I am friends with many of the renowned copper guys and know they have trouble sometimes with ground found coppers, since they are used to attributing ones not so corroded, so I never take their word for an attribution without me first seeing why they said what they said.... Now, I put Don's coin with three other varieties and after a close look comparing, I will say where I said it might be a S-5 based on the three leaves, I retract now, since I see the LIBERTY is smaller letters.
Now Shawn said either a S7 or S8, well I will still say it is neither of them
The Sheldon 7 is a definite no-go, not only because it does not have the smaller right leaf, but the spacing of LIBERTY is not wide enough to be a S7. Also, now that I have looked at the Reverse a bit more, there is similarity at the fraction bar but the ONE CENT is too high, also the bow is not small like it is on a S7 and there is a trefoil just to the left of C in CENT and the S7 does not have that.
The Sheldon 8 (Obv 9) seems to match for the spacing and location of LIBERTY, but looking at the Reverse I see several things to eliminate S8 also, just like on the S7. ONE CENT is too high, no trefoil to the immediate left of C in CENT and the denominator is spaced further below the fraction bar than on Don's coin.
So, I am fairly certain it is not a S-5, S-7 or S-8 based on what details I see and do not see.
What do I see--- The Reverse side has details that to me make the attribution 100% positive in my mind. Here is book description: It is a Reverse E, Large , rounded bow, shaped like a kidney or a bean. All four trefoils are in line with CENT although the outer left one is slightly high. The fraction bar is low and rests on 100. U and ST are all lower than the adjacent letters.
Now from that description, I do see on Don's coin the trefoil immediately left of the letter C in CENT (diagnostic to me) I also see the kidney shaped bow, which the S5,7,8 do not have. Corrosion and wear does make it hard sometimes and but I am certain now that the coin is SHELDON 9. This has the same Obverse as the Sheldon 8 but the reverse is entirely different S-8 has Reverse F, and Sheldon 9 has reverse E, which is what identifies it as a Sheldon 9.
Don
