Rarity Scale for M.E. Hart's Coins of the Golden West
The Sheldon Rarity Scale is used to evaluate the rarity of the Western souvenir gold
die varieties described on the present website.
The Sheldon scale first appeared in
Dr. William Sheldon's 1949 book
Early American Cents,
revised in 1958 as
Penny Whimsy.
R1: More than 1,250 known
R2: 501 to 1,250 known
R3: 201 to 500 known
R4: 76 to 200 known
R5: 31 to 75 known
R6: 13 to 30 known
R7: 4 to 12 known
R8: 1 to 3 known