Rare HB REX 1688 American Plantation Token
1688 American Plantation token. Newman 1-A, Breen-80. Original, HB REX. EF Details "Environmental Damage." (PCGS). A sharp and appealing specimen of an undoubtedly original variety, one that was never restruck after 1688. The surfaces are dark gray with a dusting of earthen encrustation, particularly on the reverse. The surfaces are a bit granular, as is always the case three centuries after a tin coin is struck. Some light chipping is seen at the rims, but they appear stable now (there's no tin dust rattling around in the PCGS holder). A dig is noted at the base of the reverse. The devices and legends are clear, and the HB REX error is clear to the naked eye. Original American Plantation tokens are downright rare, but the availability of the 1828 Matthew Young restricts (most of which look quite similar to this in terms of planchet quality) seems to keep prices moderate. For those who would rather have a 17th century coin that circulated than its early 19th century copy, a piece like this would function quite nicely...Sold
1788 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 12-M. Rarity-4-. Very Fine. Nice light woodgrained brown with good gloss and a halo of pale olive toning around the obverse devices. A nice even example for the grade, showing just some trivial planchet striations at the base of the reverse and light marks commensurate with the grade. A tiny rim nick above the top of the Indian's bow is the only mark worth mentioning. This would be a great type coin at the VF level. From the Ted Craige collection...$525
1788 Connecticut copper. Miller 7-F.2. Rarity-6. Mailed Bust Left. Choice About Uncirculated. Another piece from the famous Ted Craige Collection, where I described it as "An exceptional specimen of this rare variety, with frosty light brown surfaces that retain strong luster. Like most specimens of this variety, this shows significant planchet flaws, the largest of which is at the obverse portrait's forehead, with scattered planchet flecks elsewhere at central obverse. On the reverse, similar planchet flecks are seen at upper right and lower left. The Garrett coin, generally thought to be finest known, was a similarly flawed high grade coin. In its description, the cataloger noted 'Perhaps more than any other coin here, the present piece is difficult to precisely grade. The combinations of actual wear (or lack of it), light striking, and imperfectly prepared planchet make it difficult to know where to attribute a given weakness.' Beyond its planchet flaws, this piece is surprisingly choice and may be technically Mint State. Despite this, it appears Ford traded this piece away in favor of his relatively unflawed VF, which brought $1,725 in the Ford sale. Tanenbaum's was just VG. A rare piece deserving of a home in an advanced cabinet." It's a rare treat to get a Condition Census specimen of a Rarity-6 variety with original frosty lustre for...$1,250
A Very Scarce Connecticut Copper Overdate
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 9-R. Rarity-4+. Mailed Bust Left. 1787/1788. Very Fine. Another major variety in the Connecticut copper series, a die marriage worthy of singling out for its own listing in the Red Book. I described this piece in the auction catalogue of the Ted Craige Collection as "A high quality example of this major overdate variety, with the 7 over 8 in the date readily seen with the naked eye. Nice glossy medium brown with mostly hard, smooth surfaces. The area in front of the profile is a little soft and retains some planchet texture, and the lap of the seated figure shows some light fissures opposite. The right obverse and reverse periphery are weak in the same area, but the date is bod. A few little hairlines are noted on the cheek under a glass, to no great effect. The Royse example is the most recent to sell, graded VF-35 (PCGS) in our November 2012 sale; it was a little sharper but also a little more granular, netting $3,105. This will make a nice prize for the underbidder, as this variety is tough to find much better." The Royse coin proves the Guide Book pricing is not crazy, indeed, it might be a bit low. This is one of those varieties that never seems to turn up in high grade, and rarely is the overdate as clear as it is here. This piece shows excellent color and is free of major post-striking issues...Sold
1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 54-k. Rarity-3. Serpent Head. Choice Extremely Fine. A prize from the Ted Craige collection of New Jerseys, and one of the prettiest and most well struck Serpent Heads I've seen in recent years. I described this coin for the Craige catalogue as "a beautiful example of this popular major variety in 'far, far above average condition!,' in Mr. Craige's words. Glossy chocolate brown with superb surface quality and eye appeal. The left side of the obverse is a bit soft, as usual, and the lower left obverse shows just a hint of fine granularity, extending to a shallow lamination at O of NOVA. The date is not fully struck up, but the central device is bold and barely worn. The reverse shows some natural planchet texture at upper right, including a low spot at that corner of the shield, but it is otherwise bold and choice. The obverse is aligned to 7 o'clock, with full denticles and die edge visible in northeast quadrant. Reverse is aligned just above 9 o'clock, with good strong denticles and die edge at right. The visual appeal of this specimen is excellent for this unevenly struck variety, and the sharpness places it just out of the range of the Condition Census. This is a very desirable Serpent Head." For a relatively common variety, the Serpent Head sure is tough to find fully struck and in high grade. The Redbook values a EF at $4000, reflective of this rarity. The quality of this piece will satisfy connoisseurs, particularly those building a major variety set of New Jersey coppers. This was the best piece Ted Craige encountered in more than a decade specializing in the series before his passing in 1971...Sold
The Henry C. Miller (1920)-Ted Craige Maris 34-J New Jersey
1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 34-J. Rarity-3. Deer Head. Very Fine. Described by yours truly in the recent sale of the Ted Craige New Jersey coppers as "Another good-looking Deer Head, included in the Craige Collection to represent the 'Late state obv with heavy break thru date,' as noted on Mr. Craige's envelope. Glossy chocolate brown with excellent eye appeal. Some light planchet striations are present in the northeast quadrant of the obverse, planchet crude at base of reverse, some visible undertype at US of PLURIBUS, almost certainly a Connecticut copper. A problem-free piece with outstanding visual appeal. Latest die state with heavy break at date, thin die crack between VA of NOVA, and horizontal crack from rim to singletree. This piece was originally in a two-piece lot (both Maris 34-Js) in the 1920 Miller sale. Presumably, like the other Miller coins that Craige ended up with, this came via Ryder to Boyd to Ford." The Deer Head is one of the fine-style dies in the New Jersey series: well-executed, distinctive, attractively composed. I favor varieties that meet that description as type coins; I also happen to have a soft spot for overstrikes and cool die states. This is the trifecta (no pun intended). With a pedigree to two of the great names in 20th century colonial numismatics, it makes for a rather nice property...$875
"If this doesn't appeal to you ..."
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 33.28-Z.16. Rarity-5. Snipe Nose. Choice Extremely Fine. I fell in love with this coin when cataloguing it among the Ted Craige collection. The catalogue description I wrote suggests as much. It also suggests I probably shouldn't catalogue so much late at night: "Flawless glossy tan with superlative visual appeal. About as choice as could be imagined; we will mention the world's smallest rim nick under the date just because we get paid by the word. A pretty spectacular piece. If this coin doesn't appeal to you, stop collecting Connecticuts and proceed immediately to your nearest Franklin half dealer." The point remains that this coin is pretty much perfect. The Snipe Nose is named for the impressive horizontal bisecting crack across the obverse, leaving the details of that die on two different planes. Rarely is a Snipe Nose this sharp, and those that are rarely are found with such choice surfaces. While this isn't a "Redbook variety," it sure is a major one, and this could easily find a place in a type collection of significant varieties...$1,475
A Major Redbook Variety, ex New Netherlands' Famed 60th Sale
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 41-ii. Rarity-4. Draped Bust Left. AUCTOPI / ET IIB. Choice Very Fine. The New Netherlands Coin Company's 60th sale has long worn the laurel hung on its neck by John W. Adams: "a strong candidate for best executed catalogue ever." In order to garner such high praise, the content of the sale had to be at least halfway decent, of course. One of the ways it got the coveted Adams A+ rating was on the back of Dr. Angus Black's fine collection of colonials, including this coin. In NN60, Walter Breen described it as "on the whole nicely struck with everything clear and generally sharp; bottoms of the date are off flan. The beautiful surfaces on this choice piece more than compensate for a hardly visible obv. scratch, rim nick, and a hard-to-find edge nick. Popular double error type." I catalogued it in the recent Ted Craige sale (its first offering since 1968) as "Beautiful glossy light brown with impeccable surface quality and eye appeal ... the thin scratch runs nearly imperceptibly across the obverse portrait, the tiny rim nick is at 6 o'clock on the obverse, and the edge nick is literally invisible from either side but is located above first C of CONNEC. A major variety in the series for its dual misspellings, AUCTOPI and ET IIB, a variety on many want lists but rarely found nice." The Guide Book prices the AUCTOPI at $1500 in EF, the ET IIB at $1300 in EF; this is suggestive of the problems with the Redbook: this variety is both the most easily found AUCTOPI and the most common of the ET IIB reverses, so presumably the price should be the same. In any case, this coin is about as nice as this important major variety comes, and rarely does it come with such a great provenance too...$1,375
The Ted Craige Maris 17-J New Jersey
1786 New Jersey copper. Maris 17-J. Rarity-4. Choice Very Fine. 141.4 grains. From the Ted Craige Collection, a nice New Jersey horsehead that I described in the sales catalogue of that legendary collection as follows: "Deep mahogany and olive surfaces contrast with attractive light brown devices. Overstruck on an unidentified Connecticut copper, like so many of this die marriage, with CONN subtly visible just inside the rim above NOVA. The surfaces show fine raised granularity on both sides, looking like verdigris under a glass rather than eaten-away corrosion, but the in-hand appearance is very pleasing. A few little scratches are seen here and there, one on the snout and a few fine ones at central reverse. The top of the reverse shows slightly greater roughness than elsewhere. The planchet is broad and the centering is ideal. Fairly well struck, though this variety seemingly never shows full details, and perhaps worthy of an EF grade assignment by wear. The central reverse is a bit soft, as always seen, a by-product of reverse failure and the opposite high relief of the horsehead. Very Fine is a better than typical grade for a 17-J. This piece shows equivalent sharpness to the Henry Garrett coin, the highest ranked of the VF coins in the SHI census (#4), though this piece seems to have inferior surfaces to that coin. The Maris-Garrett-O'Donnell coin is ranked 8th; though it is sharper, it has some surface issues. So this piece can be comfortably ranked somewhere in that range, depending upon your tastes. Needless to say, this is a coin that would prove tough to upgrade. The three finest examples are all graded EF." New Jersey coppers and large cents have each been collected for a century and a half. How long has it been since you could acquire a Condition Census-calibre early date large cent with a fine provenance for...$1,475
A Hercules Head Connecticut With a Date!
1786 Connecticut copper. Miller 5.3-N. Rarity-2. Hercules Head. Very Fine. The Ted Craige example of this distinctive Connecticut type, which I catalogued as "Middle die state, before the reverse badly swells, still showing the date and a good bit of central detail, in addition to full legends. Handsome medium brown with some horizontal striations and laminations across central obverse, notable reverse flaw at chest extends to above E of INDE. A very good looking Hercules Head, boldly detailed and free of post-striking problems. Even with its striations, this is nicer than normal. A very desirable type coin." The Guide Book pricing values a Fine at $600 and a VF at $2400. Without getting into the merits of this information, what is more desirable: a relatively sharp example of a late die state which, by its very nature, shows no date or significant reverse detail, or an earlier die state that still retains these features? Choices such as this are why state coppers will never trade based strictly upon their "grade." As is, the grade of this one is much nicer than normal. It was good enough for Ted Craige, who had very little competition for coins like this through the entire 1960s...$1,275
A Near Gem Specimen of An Underappreciated French Colonial Type
France and colonies. 1712-N six deniers or sol de Dardennes. Montpelier mint. MS-64 BN (NGC). Though struck for just three years (1710-1712) and at only three mints (La Rochelle, Montpelier, and Aix), this type dominated the small change of Nouvelle France more than any other copper coin of its era -- and more than most anyone today realizes. Phil Mossman's article in Colonial Newsletter 124 entitled "Money of the 14th Colony: Nova Scotia (1711- 1783)" noted that more than 40 specimens of this type were found at the excavations of Fortress Louisbourg, a fact first noted in Professor Peter Moogk's article "A Pocketful of Change at Louisbourg," in the Canadian Numismatic Journal in March 1976. These pieces were so prevalent that Moogk said a typical pocket of change at Louisbourg during its heyday would include a couple small French liards, a recoined sol of the 1690s, one of the billon coins of the 1740s (popularly but poorly named sou marques), one of these sols de Dardennes, and a Spanish pistareen. Breen even mentions this type and the frequency it was seen in the pocket change of Nouvelle France on page 45 of his Encyclopedia. Today, Canadian metal detectorists find them often, particularly in the Canadian maritimes. Phil Mossman, the Dalai Lama of colonial numismatists, calls Nova Scotia "the 14th colony" not only because so many Loyalists headed there after the Revolution, but because its economy and settlement patterns so closely paralleled that of New England. As for the French coins that were there before the English conquest, some stayed to circulate among the new emigrants from Massachusetts and elsewhere, and others went with the Acadians when they moved south to French Louisiana to become Cajuns. All of that is a big buildup for a magnificent coin. A serious student of French colonial coinage could look for years and not find a specimen better than Fine. Most in the marketplace show ground patina and serious wear. I've never seen one I'd call EF or AU. This piece is a wonder, with abundant golden lustre and color barely mellowed from the fully brassy tone when this was struck. The planchet shows a few natural splits at the rim, as struck. The legends are complete, and the surfaces are free of any notable marks. I have seen one other example of similar quality, a coin I placed in the finest private collection of French Colonial coinage extant. For those who would rather collect what really, genuinely circulated in early America, not just the coins called "colonials" in standard reference (which may or may not have ever seen American shores), this coin represents a very important opportunity. I didn't think I'd ever see another example this nice...Sold
1783 (ca. 1860-80) Nova Constellatio pattern mark or 1000 units ELECTROTYPE. Copper over lead, 32.5 mm. As Breen-1099. Plain edge. Choice Extremely Fine. A collectible and aged replica of one of the most important coins in the whole realm of early American numismatics, the largest denomination of Robert Morris' abortive 1783 plan for a national coinage. The surfaces are chocolate brown with some lead showing through on legends, devices, and edge. I've seen a few of these, made of the same fabric; they were likely made either when Sylvester Crosby owned the coin or had access to it in the Parmelee Collection. The original 1783 Nova Constellatio mark is unique -- there is just one example known, and in order to acquire it, the rest of the multi-million dollar 1783 Nova Constellatio pattern set would have to be wrung free too. So an electrotype like this is about the only way to acquire a reasonable likeness of one of the classic American rarities without settling for a picture or some kind of really crummy looking modern fake. I've owned just one other...Sold
1778 Machin's Mills circulating imitation halfpenny. Vlack 12-78B. Rarity-3. About Uncirculated or better. An extremely high grade example of one of Thomas Machin's counterfeit halfpence. Traces of honest-to-goodness mint color surround GEO on the obverse, while the surfaces overall blend light brown with faint gold and rose, a bit uneven, lively and showing some mint frost or bloom, if not lustre. The legends are complete and the devices are crisp, though a scattering of natural planchet defects are present atop the obverse portrait and a few more confined areas of the reverse. Though the planchet is flawed, this is as extremely sharp, essentially unworn, and very attractive example of this famed early American issue. Its quality is reminiscent of pieces associated with the "Stepney Hoard," though I have no specific provenance on this piece. How many Machin's Mills halfpence have you seen with lustre and faded mint color?...$1,450
Probable Condition Census 1788 Miller 16.1-H
1788 Connecticut copper. Miller 16.1-H. Rarity-4. About Uncirculated. 120.9 grains. A superb example of a challenging variety to find in top grade, almost certainly a piece that merits inclusion in the Condition Census. The surfaces are an even and beautiful shade of deep chocolate brown, glossy and frosty, clearly very close to Mint State. The obverse is ideally centered and unflawed, with several die breaks in the left obverse that have produced swelling in that area. Some shallow planchet texture is visible in the right obverse, to no serious effect. The reverse is also frosty and attractive, with some inherent planchet flaws at top, but the legend is complete and most of the date is on the taut planchet. Though not a rare variety, the major collections have included surprisingly low quality examples of this Miller number: Perkins' was called Fine/Very Fine, Ford's (ex Miller) was graded Good Fine, and those present in Norweb, EAC 1975, and Tanenbaum weren't of this quality or close to it. The Craige coin wasn't as nice as this one. The only clearly better one in the collections I'd normally look in is the Oeschner coin, a glorious Mint State piece. Taylor's coin doesn't look as sharp, but it's among the better ones. This coin would clearly upgrade the vast majority of specialized Connecticut collections, and it would be hard to imagine there are five specimens finer than it...$2,250
1784 circulating counterfeit halfpenny. Vlack 14-84A, Breen-974. Fine. 92.4 grains. A pleasing example of this popular and rare American counterfeit halfpenny, one that was considered a great rarity when added to the American circulating counterfeit canon in 1974 but has since become common enough to be collectible, somewhere on the order of Rarity-5 or so. This specimen shows nice medium brown color over mostly smooth surfaces. The central obverse shows some natural planchet texture, as is typical. The upper reverse shows little striking detail and the southeast quadrant of the obverse is also swollen, a byproduct of its advanced die state. Some old scratches are noted at central reverse, a few other little marks here and there. The legends and date are nice and bold. Even superb examples like the Roper coin show significant weaknesses, and few can boast surfaces as nice as this one. Though this piece was clearly not coined at Machin's Mills, it is just as clearly of American relevance, with all or nearly all being found on this continent, not in England. Metal detector finds of this type seem to be centered in the Delaware Valley. The Whitman Colonial Encyclopedia lists this (W-8130) at $1400 in VG and $2500 in Fine...$1,175
1785 Vermont copper. Ryder-2. Rarity-4-. Landscape, VERMONTS. Very Fine. Choice dark chocolate brown with hard, glossy surfaces. Even though 95% of the planchet is of top quality, this being a 1785 Vermont Landscape, there had to be a catch, and there is: the ragged clip left of the date, the result of this planchet being created from the edge of a rolled strip. A little fine granularity surrounds the clip on the obverse, though the reverse is smooth right up to the edge. The first date digit is affected, as is VERM. DECIMA hangs onto the edge, barely, on the reverse. The rest of the coin is extremely bold and very attractive on the whole. Only a few minor little marks are seen, like the fine abrasion under S of RES. Ryder-2s are not easy to find nice. This piece, charming in its crudity like so many Vermont Landscapes, presents very nicely in hand...Sold
1760 Voce Populi halfpenny. Nelson-4. Zelinka 2-A. Rarity-3. About Uncirculated. Another beautiful early copper from the legendary Ted Craige collection, the sole piece I bought from his cabinet of Voce Populi halfpence, which is the finest ever sold at auction in my estimation, finer than Ford's, Zelinka's, McGrath's, Bibbins, and just about everyone else's. The Nelson coins are now off the market at Colonial Williamsburg. In the recent StacksBowers sale of the Craige Collection, I described this coin as "Another superb Nelson-4, with good remaining luster on the light brown obverse and deeper mahogany brown reverse. Ideally centered on both sides, well struck on a thick planchet. A single short hairline is noted on the cheek, a tiny rim nick over P in POPULI and a few smaller ones around the reverse, a couple natural planchet chips near ribbon bows on obverse. This Craige duplicate is actually finer than the Zelinka and McGrath specimens, among many others in well-formed collections. Craige called it 'XF/AU, NICE.'" I never knew Ted Craige, but I have a lot of respect for a guy who can call a coin "XF-AU, NICE" and leave it at that. Nice is exactly what this Voce is...$1,350
(ca. 1674?) Saint Patrick "farthing." Breen-208. Nothing below king. Choice Fine. Another selection from the Craige collection, a well-balanced and nicely detailed piece with the sort of smooth surfaces that are almost never encountered on a Saint Patrick farthing. I described this piece as "Attractive light brown with deep olive toning around devices and legends. Nicely centered on a broad planchet, though S of PLEBS is worn into the rim. About a half dozen minuscule pinpoint natural pits are present on the reverse, even less substantial ones here and there on the obverse, but this piece is choice and smooth otherwise, with no post-striking flaws to note. The splash is deep gold and oval, covering the crown and extending upwards to the rim. A lovely example with unusual surface quality." As a type coin, this displays the designs and legends completely without dealing with the usual wretched surfaces...$3,125
(ca. 1674?) Saint Patrick "farthing." Breen-208. Nothing below king. Choice Very Good. Most Saint Patrick farthings, regardless of grade, make an emery board seem smooth. Thus, when picking coins out to add to inventory from the Ted Craige Collection, I focused intensely on the ones with nice, smooth surfaces. Though worn, this is such a coin. I described it as "Glossy and attractive medium brown, with a deep mustard splash that fills the crown and contrasts nicely. The surfaces are hard and smooth, free of any trace of roughness or granularity. Tiny dark spots are noted on the king's crown, the right foot of R of REX, and A of FLOREAT. Die failure at northwest obverse wipes out the legend in that area, central reverse lacks much detail but the peripheries are complete and well-detailed. Light rim scuff noted at 5 o'clock on obverse, tinier nick left of it. From the same dies as Griffee:92, his G1-4/0j." If you're fussy about color and surface but enjoy collecting circulated coins, this might be ideal...$1,325
1688 American Plantation token. Newman 4-E. Original. Very Fine. Beaded edge. A good looking original American Plantation token. Recently uncovered in England by a metal detectorist, this piece has all the hallmarks of an original striking: somewhat uneven placement of the beading by the edge dies, tin surfaces, dark patina with no trace of lustre. The Whitman Colonial book asserts "most if not all examples in the marketplace are restrikes. Although originals are believed to have been made, Roger S. Siboni has not been able to determine any variety other than restrikes." I disagree with my friend Roger on this, as I know of this piece and another holed, worn Newman 4-E that were both found in the English soil, which is a weird resting place for a numismatic restrike that a collector bought at a premium price in 1828. This example has nice deep gray color and better than typical surfaces, with just a little loss from tin pest in the legend at JACOB and on the rear end of the horse. Only the most trivial edge chips are seen. American Plantation tokens have come into their own of late, finally appreciated by variety collectors and type enthusiasts. Restrikes have never interested me much, but originals like this are historic and genuinely rare...$1,485
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 37.5-E. Rarity-5. Draped Bust Left. VF-35 (PCGS). Beautiful glossy chocolate brown with golden undertones and frosty lustre remaining around devices. Technically Extremely Fine, which is a grade I'd have no hesitation in assessing this piece in the raw. Only minor little planchet flecks, the most notable being the one on the neck of the obverse portrait and at the ankle of the seated fiigure, no bad marks other than a little rim nick beneath the shield base. Perfectly centered with complete legends and date, good detail on both sides. A handsome and hefty Connecticut, weighing 167.6 grains, the same weight as a post-1795 large cent. Ex. Steve Tanenbaum Collection, Mike Ringo in August 1990...Sold
Superb Saint Patrick Farthing, ex Craige
(ca. 1674?) Saint Patrick "farthing." Breen-208. Nothing below king. EF-45 (PCGS). A magnificent Saint Patrick farthing from the Craige Collection, coin for coin the finest collection of Saint Patrick coppers ever sold at auction. While Griffee had more, the Craige coins were of a uniform nice quality. Among those 70-odd farthings, a few stood out, and this was prominent among them. Only a handful of the Craige St. Patrick pieces were graded by PCGS -- before the sale, in my role as StacksBowers colonial consultant and cataloguer, I hand selected the nicest half dozen to go in for grading, while the rest sold raw. The highest graded one of these came back in an AU-53 holder, but that one showed significant weakness atop both sides, rendering the design incomplete. The next highest graded, a well balanced and fully struck piece, was graded AU-50. That coin realized $14,950. This one was the next highest graded piece, coming in at EF-45. From there, it was a big drop-off down to the next highest PCGS graded piece in the sale, the VF-30 from the Royse Collection, which sold for $4,600. I described this coin in the catalogue as "Glossy medium brown, essentially smooth, with a splash of olive below the crown on the obverse. A very sharp and attractive specimen, retaining some facial detail on Saint Patrick's visage. A natural clip is present at 7 o'clock relative to the obverse, obverse aligned to 9 o'clock, reverse to 3 o'clock, full denticles and die edge opposite both. FLOREAT and PLEBS are both a trifle soft at the rim. A choice, problem-free example in unusually nice grade. Offered as the only Saint Patrick farthing in any major auction, this coin would see the laser-eyed attention of specialists; it should not be paid any less in this context." With the dust settled, and the vast majority of the coins going to collectors in the audience rather than into dealer inventories, we can more soberly assess this opportunity: coins like this just do not come up that often. Craige pursued the series with an intense vigor and no serious competition, and this was arguably the second best piece he got. Its surfaces and sharpness are better than the various EF Saint Patrick farthings in the Heritage archive, like an NGC 45 sold in 2011 for $8,050 and the far more worn PCGS 40 sold in 2009 for $6,900. As far back as 2006, a PCGS 40 brought $9,775. The pieces graded AU haven't been any nicer, like this poorly struck 50 at $8,050 a year ago or this NGC 50 with less choice surfaces at $10,350. Go survey the other EFs and AUs (either service!) offered at auction in the last five years, and few indeed match this one for both detail and surface quality. Compared to all these recent sales, this coin seems very fairly priced at...$10,500
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 18-U. Rarity-4. EF-45 (PCGS). Another Condition Census calibre example from the Retz collection, which I described for the Retz sale catalogue as "Beautiful light brown with smooth, glossy surfaces. A problem free coin, with just some minor marks remaining in the softly struck area on the reverse rim between 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock; the same area on the obverse, above the sunface, is also a bit soft. A single nick under the stop after FUGIO serves as an identifier. Struck slightly off-center to 6 o'clock, the bottom half of BUSINESS not present. The reverse shows significant clashing, but the obverse shows none, a 'very early die state' according to Rob's manuscript. While this variety is only scarce, not rare (though Rob called it an R-5-), there are few finer examples. Rob knew of one Mint State piece (in a New York City collection) and four he graded AU, led by the two very pretty Boyd-Ford coins. Rob ranked this piece as sixth best, grading it the same EF-45 grade as PCGS and your cataloger. In the EF range, it would be tough to top this coin's outstanding visual appeal." For Fugio variety specialists, this coin would prove exceptionally difficult to upgrade...$2,975
Impressively Choice 1785 Miller 3.4-F.2 Connecticut Copper
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 3.4-F.2. Rarity-2. Mailed Bust Right. Choice Extremely Fine. Choice glossy light brown with ideal smooth surfaces. The obverse is hard, smooth, and unflawed, nicely-centered and well-struck, just picture perfect for a 1785 Connecticut. The reverse is centered a bit towards 2:00, but the date and legends are full. The detail is crisp, and honest-to-goodness lustre remains in the protected area above INDE. We note only minuscule flaws above D of INDE and atop the shield, both as struck. The Oeschner coin seems to be the class of this variety. Even though Ford's was the Miller coin, I prefer this one for surface and color, and it is an apparent tie for sharpness. A glorious Connecticut type coin that would right at home in any advanced collection, and a variety representative of such high quality that it would have upgraded nearly every classic cabinet of the past...$1,825
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 15-H. Rarity-4. EF-40 (PCGS). Quite close to Condition Census quality for this fairly scarce die variety, not significantly removed from the quality of the EF-45 (PCGS) Rob Retz coin which just sold for $3,220. That coin was ranked as tied for fifth finest known by Rob, who never had the chance to see this new discovery piece. Its surfaces are very attractive light brown, mostly smooth and glossy but for some scattered light flecky planchet flaws. The most significant flaw, left of the sunface, is the only one plain to the naked eye. Aside from a minuscule rim tick at 3:00 on the reverse, the surfaces are free of major contact points. This is an eyeball variety for Fugio specialists, with the long die crack from the right base of the sundial to the exergual line denoting obverse 15, here married to its only UNITED STATES reverse, reverse H. This is a very scarce, high grade example of a distinctive variety for not much more than common variety money...$1,975
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 16-H. Rarity-5. VF-30 (PCGS). An unusually attractive example of this very scarce variety, one that can be found in low grades with some looking but is extremely rare better than VF and rarely found choice in any grade. From the Rob Retz collection, where I described it as "171.7 grains. A chubby puppy among Fugios, weighing more than a post-1795 large cent. Rich dark chocolate brown with smooth, attractive surfaces of enviable hardness. A really beautiful Fugio, particularly for this variety. Rob graded this coin VF-35 choice and your cataloger blindly also graded it VF-35 before submission to PCGS. A minuscule rim tick above the first 7 of the date serves as an identifier; magnification-assisted nitpickers may also note a single hairline from the third cinquefoil to the sundial and the slightest hint of verdigris within a few rings. The die state is the typical one, with a heavy break at 6 o'clock on the reverse, equivalent to Newman (2008) reverse state D. Rob ranked his coin as ninth finest, behind a Mint State piece in the New York City collection, the Kessler-Spangenberger coin called EF-40, the similarly graded Boyd-Ford coin, and others in the EF-40 to AU-50 range. The primary Ford coin showed some dark specks, but still realized $3,737.50 in 2003. This piece boasts strong eye appeal and far finer than normal sharpness, with the added interest of being the second heaviest Fugio in the Retz collection." The superb color and surfaces, bold contrast between the dark chocolate fields and tan devices, and overall rarity make this a highly desirable Fugio...$2,475
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 17-S. Rarity-3. (probably more like Rarity-4). EF-45 (PCGS). One of my favorite pieces from the Retz Collection, for its superb strike, great color, and bold contrast. I catalogued this piece in the Retz Collection sale as follows: "This variety was called Rarity-5 in the Ford sale and Rarity-5 in Rob's manuscript; we would be more comfortable with a Rarity-4 assignment than the Rarity-3 this was accorded in the 2008 Newman text. Very attractive dark chocolate brown with light brown devices. Abundant detail is present on both sides, seemingly better than the grade assigned. The sundial is particularly bold, the legends are complete, and the glossy reverse is quite close to Mint State. Some very shallow obverse accretion or verdigris is present, to no significant distraction. Aside from a tiny nick on the obverse rim right of the sunface, we note no marks of consequence. This high quality piece is not listed in Rob's census, suggesting he acquired it quite late. He noted two Mint State pieces, along with five AUs. The Newman (2008) plate piece was listed as fifth finest. The Boyd-Ford coins were accorded tenth and eleventh position; we like this one significantly better than the second Boyd-Ford coin and prefer it to the first Boyd-Ford coin, given the raised corrosion present on the reverse of that piece. The Newman (2008) plate piece shows significant striations, as does one of the Unc specimens. So where would we rank this? Somewhere among the top half dozen or so, surely within the top 10. Though fairly available in grades like Fine or Very Fine, this variety is truly tough in EF or above." When I graded this coin raw, before the Retz coins went off to PCGS, I graded it AU-50. It's unusual to find this kind of eye appeal and quality in a Fugio, even (or especially) among the hoard varieties. As a non-hoard variety, coins of this grade are merely accidental survivors...$3,250
Choice Overstruck 1787 Vermont Ryder-12
1787 Vermont copper. Ryder-12. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Right. Overstruck on Nova Constellatio copper. Choice Very Fine. Overstruck colonials are a miniature lesson in economics of the pre-Federal era, and this one is no exception. We have a coin bearing the legends of a putatively independent area claimed by New York and New Hampshire, struck in New York, imitating a copper halfpenny of England, struck atop an English-made Nova Constellatio copper bearing the legend "US." As an unusual, new-style copper coin made in the late 1780s, its acceptance depended upon it resembling the most common copper then circulating: the British halfpenny. In that form, it passed more easily (and thus was more valuable) than the Nova Constellatio copper upon which it was struck. It was produced at Machin's Mills at the same time that mint was making counterfeit halfpence, under a subcontact with representatives of the Vermont government. That Machin's Mills halfpence are relatively more common than Vermont coppers suggests the profit motive at Capt. Machin's mint: they could keep all the profit from the halfpence, but had to share it when striking Vermonts. It's no wonder these pieces are scarce today. What's especially scarce is a piece of this quality, with pleasing, hard, smooth, glossy tan surfaces and no major flaws. A little speck of verdigris is visible at the rim just left of 6:00 on the obverse, but the surfaces are free of any significant marks. The date is visible if soft, and the legends are nice and bold. The rays of the Nova Constellatio undertype radiate from the central obverse. A beautiful and interesting Vermont copper, a history lesson unto itself...Sold
Superb 1787 Machin's Halfpenny, ex Craige and Royse
1787 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 17-87B. Rarity-2. VF-35 (PCGS). An absolutely stellar example of this variety, with a provenance back to the legendary Ted Craige collection, dispersed by Metropolitan Rare Coin Galleries of New York. It is a bit ironic that a substantial portion of Craige's Machin's Mills pieces would hit the market in the exact sale where Craige's long-hidden collection would first be offered, but as part of a different consignment. Jack Royse bought several pieces from the Craige collection, all of which retained the light blue-green paper envelopes they were offered in by MRCG four decades ago. This comes from the recent Stack's / C4 sale of the Royse collection, where I described it as "Rich even dark chocolate brown with no notable problems. Not quite smooth, but not granular either, just somewhat matte in appearance. While this is one of the easier Machin's Mills halfpennies to find in nice grade, they are rarely this choice and even. This piece shows a better central strike than even the gorgeous Unc Ringo coin, fully detailed at the usually soft centers, and thus even more desirable." For strike, color, sharpness, and even eye appeal, this coin is just about unbeatable, as a variety or as a type...$1,650
The Richard Picker-Rob Retz Newman 3-D Fugio
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 3-D. Rarity-3. Club Rays. VF-35 (PCGS). A recent acquisition from the collection of Rob Retz. I graded this coin solid EF when I viewed it raw during cataloguing, though Rob and PCGS agreed on the VF-35 grade. Here's how I described it for the catalogue: "A lovely example, described in the 1984 Picker sale as follows: 'All sundial numerals sharp and clear, with reverse legends completely readable. A perfect light olive brown. An excellent type example that would be hard to improve. Nice Very Fine.' The only quibble we would have is that, today, this coin seems to meet the modern standards for EF, but Rob graded it 35, so the grade is at least consistent with his opinion. The surfaces are smooth and glossy but for some trivial surface granularity at the base of the reverse. The centering allows for a complete obverse exergual legend. The eye appeal is superb for the variety, which rarely comes smooth and less often comes with attractive light brown color. Rob listed this at number 16 on his census, which includes a handful of AU coins but no UNCs. Advanced die state with a light crack connecting the top of the date digits, in addition to the crack from rim to stop after FUGIO. A superb type coin with great eye appeal and provenance." Anyone who has perused the 1984 Richard Picker Collection catalogue has noted that there are only nice coins therein -- while not the biggest sale, the collection contains as pure a colonial type set as any assembled, chock full of choice coins hand selected by Picker from all those he handled during his decades as America's preeminent specialist dealer in early American issues. There are very few provenances I hold in higher esteem. Ex. Picker (Stack's, October 1984), Lot 286; Retz (Stack's, November 2012, Lot 6770)...$4,450
1787 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 2b-A. Rarity-3-. Horned Eagle. AU-55 (PCGS). A beautiful example of this naked-eye variety, combining the same obverse used on the Transposed Arrows rarity with a reverse whose injury above the eagle's head gives it its colorful moniker. As the Transposed Arrows is generally thought to have been the first Massachusetts cent variety struck (and thus the first American cent), this is probably the second. The surfaces are glossy and smooth, with frosty lustre on both sides. The left side of the obverse is a deep chocolate brown, the right side closer to light milk chocolate brown; the reverse shows some of the lighter shade in the northwest quadrant but is mostly that nice darker chocolate brown. Problem-free and very pleasing. This is as nice as anything in the Ford Collection, which included Ryder's own Massachusetts coppers, and is comparable to the finest Horned Eagle therein. This piece was last offered in the Heritage sale of January 2008, where it brought $3,400. An ideal type coin in a series where even high grade coins often sport planchet or striking issues...$3,575
The Beautiful Norweb 1796 Repub Ameri Token
1796 Repub. Ameri token or "penny." Bronzed copper, 33 mm. Baker-68, Breen-1275. Choice Mint State. Beautiful deep chocolate brown with fully reflective bronzed surfaces. Essentially gem, with just a few spare hairlines visible under a glass. Included in the Breen Encyclopedia and the Dalton and Hamer conder token reference, this piece has long been collected as a coin or token. This 1796-dated piece was struck to mark the retirement of Washington from the Presidency, a revolutionary development for the new nation; a similar piece (Baker-69) was struck in 1800 to memorialize Washington's passing. This variety seems a bit scarcer than Baker-69 today; both are rare, even rarer in this illustrious grade. I first saw this piece in the summer of 2006 when it emerged from the trunk that contained the Norweb collection of Washingtoniana; it was still in its original pink (for copper) Norweb envelope at the time. This piece brought $4,600 in the November 2006 Norweb sale, catalogued by American Numismatic Rarities and sold after the merger with Stack's. It reappeared in the September 2009 Stack's Americana sale; it again brought $4,600. It is now on the market again after having most recently resided in the famed Cardinal Collection. The original Norweb envelope and two lot tickets are still with it...$4,600
Choice EF 1785 Nova Constellatio copper
1785 Nova Constellatio copper. Crosby 3-B. Script US, Pointed Rays. EF-40 (PCGS). Glossy medium brown with excellent visual appeal. A little area of darker toning is present left of US, single spot on the reverse, superb eye look overall. This is one of those types that any collection of early American coins should have represented in some grade. Mint State pieces are nice, but they tend to sell in the $3000 and up range and many aren't all that original. This one shows strong originality and only a little wear. But for the crumbled die state, we could easily see this in an EF-45 holder...$1050
1787 (i.e. ca. 2000) Gallery Mint Brasher half doubloon. Gold, 25.7 mm. Gem Mint State. 215.6 grains. Struck in 22 karat gold. Superb gleaming lustrous yellow gold, unflawed and as struck. These dies by Ron Landis are extremely faithful to the original dies; they even have the oval EB punchmark on the wing. The COPY mark is buried in the foreground of the obverse. This piece comes with numbered ticket 79. I don't know how many were struck (it was not a large number, to be sure), but I do know that a fair share of these pieces have been melted in recent years. Full doubloons were more popular than the half doubloons like this, making this a serious rarity among colonial-inspired struck copies. None of us will ever own a real Brasher half doubloon -- the only known example is in the Smithsonian Institution. The Gallery Mint, Ron Landis and Joe Rust, represented a high water mark in the production of collectible struck copies using period technolgy. This is one of their finest efforts...$1195
A Ryder-18 Love Token
1788 Vermont copper. Ryder-18. Rarity-5. Mailed Bust Right. Fine. 114.9 grains. Light brown with some shallow black scale here and there, more prominent on the reverse than obverse. Well centered, obverse legends complete, date and ET LIB partially visible on reverse. The letters E C are attractively engraved on the obverse in an ancient script, making this the only love token I've ever seen on a rare Vermont copper. Some cruder scratches blend into the central reverse. Beautiful Ryder-18s are few and far between, and most show a pretty crude appearance, often including plentiful undertype. While none is visible here, its probably down in the mix somewhere. Having a love token Ryder-18 would certainly be one way to distinguish yourself from other Vermont copper collecting friends...$625
1786 Vermont copper. Baby Head. Ryder-9. Rarity-4. About Very Fine. 111.3 grains. It's hard to use traditional positive coin cliches with a Vermont Baby Head. I described my first Baby Head almost 20 years ago now (it's now known as the Friedus coin -- a really nice Baby Head to be sure), and I don't think I've ever used a word like "choice," "beautiful," "glossy," "ideal," or the other favorites I trot out when a pretty copper is in front of me. However, even among such treacherous territory, some Baby Heads are clearly nicer than others, and this one is nicer than most. The obverse is mostly olive brown, with some deep ruddy patina at left. The legends are almost complete, and the portrait is nicely detailed, almost as sharp as the Roper-Royse specimen. There are some planchet flaws, of course, though the reverse has one big one at center rather than a bunch of little ones that kill the detail. As is typical, just the tops of the date digits are visible; sometimes no date at all made it on the planchet. A single fine scratch low on the cheek is the only post-striking flaw worth noting. While not highly glossy like a choice Landscape, nor is this piece granular or a grounder. Ownership of a Baby Head is a badge of honor, not because the type is so extremely rare, but rather because the collector who appreciates such coins clearly looks beyond the pursuit of the bright and shiny to something more sublime...$1650
1801 contemporary imitation two reales. Kleeberg 01A-M7. HE monogram mintmark in imitation of Lima. TH assayer. R denomination. Brass. Very Fine or better. An unusually nice example of one of the more common circulating counterfeit two reales, a denomination that circulated widely in early America and was widely counterfeited in North America as well. Nice glossy brassy gold with some deeper toning, about as much sharpness as when struck, with the fine laurel still visible in Carlos' hair. No scratches or damage as often seen, central reverse well struck, a far nicer piece than typically encountered on this issue. The mintmark is a bad imitation of the LIMAE monogram for Lima, the assayer is one used on Mexico City issues of Carlos IV from 1804, and the R denomination is missing the "2" that goes before it. As Kleeberg points out in his ANS COAC paper on counterfeit two reales, a mismatched mintmark-assayer error on a counterfeit can only happen in a place where coins of both mints circulate side by side. The Ringo sale and a few other specialized collections have helped draw attention to this fascinating series, one whose prices resemble that of colonial coins a few decades ago...Sold
Rare Newman 9-T Fugio, PCGS VF-25
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 9-T. Rarity-6. Pointed Rays, STATES UNITED. VF-25 (PCGS). A significant rarity in the Fugio series, called Rarity-6 in the most recent Newman update (which mistakenly illustrates a 10-T on the appropriate page). The sole Newman 9-T illustrated (number 72217, ex Hancock) is a bit less sharp than this example but does exhibit lovely surfaces. The Boyd-Ford piece (plated in the original Newman) was sharper but dark and granular, while the Kessler piece (NASCA's Kessler-Spangenberger sale, April 1981, Lot 2423) was more flawed and less sharp than this one. This example is likely Condition Census for this rare variety, It shows attractive medium brown surfaces with good gloss, naturally flawed at base of obverse at NE of BUSINESS and just left of 6:00 on reverse, along with some other very minor peripheral planchet striations. A little scrape is seen above the final date digit and some very subtle granularity is visible under a glass, not enough to keep it out of a graded PCGS holder. When the Fugio variety series -- just 61 in number -- becomes more popular, rarities like this in Condition Census quality will seem like silly bargains. What kind of Chain cent can you buy for...$1,650
Condition Census Quality Nelson-6 Voce Populi
1760 Voce Populi halfpenny. Nelson-6. Rarity-5. Extremely Fine. A beautiful example of this challenging variety, among the finest known from these dies. Rich dark chocolate brown surfaces are glossy and attractive, but for the central areas where the original planchet texture is prominent from lack of striking pressure. The eye appeal is far better than usually encountered, and the surface quality is superb for the issue. An old dig off the obverse figure's nose is the only mark worth noting. This is far better than the Ryder-Boyd-Ford coin which brought $546 in 2005, and it would likewise upgrade nearly every well-assembled cabinet of Voce Populis, past or present...$1,375
1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 33.39-s.1. Rarity-4. Draped Bust Left. Extremely Fine. Glossy medium brown with a bold strike, showing good detail all over both obverse and reverse. An area of olive coloration at left obverse and left reverse sits atop the surfaces, just inactive verdigris or schmutz, perhaps removeable with a careful hand but as-is evidence of strong originality. Aside from a pinprick mark in the upper left reverse field, this piece is mark-free and enviably choice compared to most Draped Bust Left Connecticuts. The date is essentially complete. Almost as well detailed as the Ford Unc but offered at a minuscule fraction of its $25,300 price tag...$575
1796 (i.e. 1845-60) Castorland medal. Breen-1066. Original obverse, copy reverse. Choice Mint State. ARGENT with pointing hand on edge. A beautiful example, struck from the original 1796 obverse die by DuVivier and a copy reverse that was first placed in use upon the collapse of the original reverse ca. 1845 or so. Superlative cartwheel lustre on brilliant silver surfaces, nice bronze-colored toning at top of obverse and right periphery of reverse. Mark free, some subtle hairlines, nicely preserved. Long ignored, these restrikes are products of an original 18th century die and are just as collectible as the Comitia Americana restrikes of the same generation. Those medals, produced at the Paris Mint alongside of the Castorland pieces, now command four-figure sums for the pointing hand restrikes (ca. 1845-60). The Castorland pieces of the same era seem like bargains by comparison...$395
1793 contemporary counterfeit two reales. Kleeberg 93A-L6, the "Liberace Head." Lima mintmark, IJ assayer. Copper, likely overstruck. Fine or better. A pleasing and attractive example of this rare and crude circulating counterfeit two reales. Kleeberg knew of just three examples of this variety, the two in the Ringo collection (including this one) and one at the ANS. The first time a specimen of this variety sold at auction, in the June 2007 Coin Galleries auction, it brought $1,725. The two in Ringo are the only other specimens to ever sell publicly. All known specimens are struck in copper with notable, purposeful softness of the design. Ringo's primary piece and the 2007 CG specimen were both overstruck, and it's likely that the other known pieces are as well despite the lack of apparent undertype. This one is smooth chocolate brown with some trivial old scratches, including a light x-scratch in the right obverse field that probably was an attempt at counterfeit detection when this was still in pocket change. Some very subtle traces of silvering remain among the legends. Mike Ringo called this variety "the Liberace Head," which serves to highlight its charming crudity. Counterfeits like this were a prominent part of early American pocket change. Ex. Mike Ringo collection, Stack's June 2009 Schaumburg sale, Lot 82...$425
1787 Nova Eborac copper. Figure Seated Left. Breen-986. F-12 (PCGS). Even choice tan with nice in-hand appeal. A little off-center to 9:00, date complete though typically weak. A little old speck at the seated figure's elbow and a short scratch near the reverse rim at 4:00 are the only flaws and are minor ones at that. A popular state copper, several times scarcer than the issues of New Jersey, Connecticut, or even Vermont. This one clearly saw gentle circulation...Sold
Impressive Partial Brockage Fugio Copper
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 8-X. Rarity-1. Partial brockage, double struck reverse. Choice Very Fine. 142.8 grains. An eye-catching piece, with smooth light tan surfaces but also enormous planchet flaws, notably a large gap in the upper left reverse, a flaw at the base of the obverse, and one under the sunface. The dominant strike is slightly off-center, leaving some unstruck planchet area outside 5:00 on the obverse, 12:00 on the reverse. This piece entered the coining chamber in the company of another already-struck, partially ejected Fugio, which left an impression of its dentils in a vertical row under the left side of the sundial. The reverse shows two distinct impressions, both on center but slightly rotated, most notable at WE ARE ONE. Two horizontal scratches are present through IO of FUGIO to central obverse, only minor marks otherwise. Profoundly misstruck Fugios are perhaps more common than major errors in other Confederation copper series, but they remain both scarce and popular...$1,275
(1791) French Royalist jeton by Reich. Brass, 29 mm. Choice Very Fine or better. Lovely smooth glossy surfaces retain a bit of lustre, though the softly struck central reverse makes this look more worn than it is. A few little toning spots, but nice in hand. The reverse inscription DIGNISSIMO is Latin for "most worthy," appropriate to the image below of an angel crowing King Louis XVI. The obverse portrait bears the bold signature REICH, most likely for Johann Christian Reich, the father of Johann Matthaus Reich, the famed US Mint engraver. Forrer suggests that jetons like these were the product of father and son working together, but Stew Witham's Reich biography suggests that the evidence points to Reich the Elder working alone. An interesting and attractive item from the Continent...$150
Choice 1787 Fugio Copper from the Bank of New York Hoard
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-1. AU-58 (PCGS). Superb cartwheel lustre graces light to medium chocolate brown surfaces, shaded gold at peripheries where mint color was last to fade. The obverse fields and nearly all of the reverse are smooth, frosty, and beautiful, however, the base of the obverse shows a few significant planchet striations of the sort that are so often found on Bank of New York Hoard Fugios. The eye appeal and originality are superb on this piece despite its mint-made flaws. It has been said that PCGS net grades early coins with planchet flaws -- which would make sense here, since technically (and historically) this is an Uncirculated coin. PCGS-graded Fugios in AU-58 have lately been bringing in the $2300-2500 range. This one is a good buy at...$2150
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-1. AU-50 (PCGS). A handsome chocolate brown coin, with light surfaces iridescence and good natural lustre. Technically probably realistically an AU-58, with just a hint of wear, but net-graded for a planchet flaw in the right sunrays and a thin striation through the center of STATES on the reverse. Well-centered, boldly struck, and fully original, a very nice Bank of New York hoard Fugio...$1675
France / French Colonies. 1725 H ecu. La Rochelle mint. Breen-385. Mint State, salvaged. From the 1725 wreck of Le Chameau. 18.6 grams. Despite losing almost half its weight from seawater corrosion, this piece retains a wealth of detail on both sides, far more than typically encountered from this famous North American wreck. The date is a little soft, some dark plaque beneath it. The obverse is medium gray at center, navy blue at peripheries, while the reverse is more mottled shades of gray. Breen accorded the ecus found amidst the wreckage of Le Chameau numbers in his 1988 Encyclopedia, and most specialists in French colonial issues have attempted to obtain something from the ship, which was bound to pay troops in New France. Specimens appear far less frequently than they once did...$325
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 6.3-G.1. Rarity-3. Mailed Bust Right. Extremely Fine. A very nice grade example of this issue, showing a well-advanced die state and mostly glossy, smooth medium brown surfaces. There is a little roughness at ET on the reverse, some scattered natural planchet texture not struck out by the weak reverse die, actually a very high grade specimen despite the limited central detail. The die state is similar to the third Ford piece and the quality is not too far off either, though that piece brought a hefty $2,530. Handsome in terms of color and surface, a very pleasing 1785 Connecticut copper...$575
Great Britain / Massachusetts. 1749 farthing. George II. AU-50 (PCGS). A coin that has more reason to be in the Redbook than just about any other omitted issue: a Parliamentary act explicitly authorizing 1749 farthings and halfpence to be shipped to Boston by the hundreds of thousands. It's a lot more of a leg to stand on than a lot of avidly collected issues have, backed up with archaeological evidence of the plenitude of 1749 English halfpence and farthings from the Canadian Maritimes to Virginia and plenty of documentary evidence as well. Crosby nicely details the TWO TONS of 1749 farthings imported into Boston on the Mermaid. Its puzzling that these coins aren't better known or more popular. This piece is glossy chocolate brown with nice original surfaces and a little trapped dirt. While 1749 farthings aren't rare, they are tough to find in nice grade -- most are low grade grounders...$625
1788 Connecticut copper. Miller 2-D. Rarity-1. Choice Very Good. A beautiful example -- well worn, perhaps, but positively choice, with lovely glossy tan surfaces that don't betray a single significant flaw. A counterfeit issue of Machin's Mills, this variety was struck in large quantities. This piece was struck near the end of the die combination's life, with a cud visible at lower left obverse and a crack at the lower right reverse. A perfect example for the collector who doesn't mind a little wear as long as the coin is nearly perfect...$265
1807 circulating counterfeit two reales. Kleeberg 07A-P5. MP nonsense mintmark in ligature. J.G.P. nonsense assayer. Brass. Choice Extremely Fine. Dark brassy tan with lively surfaces. Some ruddy toning, surfaces glossy but show some minor detritus, boldly original. A popular variety, included in both the July 2007 Coin Galleries offering and the Ringo sale of June 2009. Those pieces were in the same condition class as this; they brought $402.50 and $345. Kleeberg knew of nine specimens, making this one of the more common of the identified struck counterfeit two reales varieties. This family included many dates and dies and probably represented a substantial counterfeiting operation. A scarce and interesting addition to a collection of early quarters or Spanish colonial coins...$325
Particularly Choice Pine Tree Shilling
PCGS VF-30, CAC
1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling. Noe-29, Rarity-2. Small Planchet. VF-30 (PCGS). CAC. Just about the perfect Pine Tree shilling at this grade level. Choice deep antique gray surfaces contrast with lighter devices. The fields are smooth and attractive, lively and original. There is not a single mark of consequence. Struck on a broad planchet, weighing a robust 72.53 grains, the die edge shows at lower right obverse but the legends are complete on both sides. Just the tops of SATHV are off the planchet. A simply gorgeous coin, nicer in terms of metal quality and visual appeal than a lot of the EFs around. If you only want one Pine Tree shilling, this would be a good choice. A stellar example of this classic...Sold
Historic Pine Tree Shilling from the 1711 Wreck of the HMS Feversham
1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling. Noe-29, Rarity-2. Small Planchet. Very Fine, corroded. 47.4 grains. Dark gray with the usual rough surfaces of pieces found in the Feversham treasure. The edges are a bit rougher than the centers, leaving a bold tree and a good bit of the date and denomination. Probably Very Fine or so when lost off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, now perhaps Very Good or so overall. This piece has lost about a third of its original weight. First offered among the Feversham recovery coins sold in the January 2001 Stack's Americana sale as Lot 26. Pieces with direct provenance to one of the major Feversham sales tend to bring a premium...$1125
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 19-SS (or 19-S.2). Rarity-5. VG-8 (PCGS). Pleasing olive brown and tan, smooth and nice for the grade. A small dig is present under the stop after FUGIO, other minor marks, but actually quite attractive for a worn specimen. While no longer full Rarity-6, Newman 19-SS remains a rare variety. A sharp but rough piece brought $805 in 2008 and the best one auctioned, a Very Fine, brought $5,750. This example is better than Ford's (he didn't have one at all, actually). If you, like F.C.C. Boyd, haven't found a specimen of this die variety yet, you can have this one for...$625
1787 Fugio copper. Newman 15-V. Rarity-5. Nearly Very Fine. Nice even light brown with very fine, very even granularity. A natural planchet gap is neatly placed within the sunrays, barely visible on the reverse, planchet otherwise intact. Since this question is often asked, if I had to guess this would probably certify somewhere in the F-15 or VF-20 range, and I don't think its minor granularity would preclude a numerical grade. Advanced die state with severe swelling at right center reverse, later than the last state illustrated in the new Newman work. Despite the rarity of the variety and die state, this is basically priced like a type coin. Fugio copper varieties are still inexpensive compared to other Confederation-era series...$625
1786 Vermont copper. Ryder-11. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Left. Very Fine. 162.9 grains. An unusually plump example, nearly the weight of a post-1795 large cent! Even medium brown with glossy devices and finely granular fields, a conspiracy of the flowlined state of the dies and the typical Vermont copper planchet texture. A few small planchet gaps are seen, including one behind the bust and smaller ones on the reverse. VERMON AUCTORI is bold on the obverse, the reverse is aligned such that only INDE is visible. A pleasing example of this scarce state copper variety, produced in Vermont before production of the republic's coppers was farmed out to Captain Thomas Machin's operation in New York...$475
1786 Vermont copper. Ryder-10. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Left. Very Fine or better. 121.1 grains. Small black "10" inobtrusively inked in the upper left field, difficult to see outside of the ideal light. Frosty olive brown with lighter brown at lower cuirass and in protected areas of the reverse, presumably where mint red was last to fade. The surfaces exhibit such great frost, such liveliness, that this coin probably shows very little actual wear; if we were to grade this coin by surfaces alone, it is perhaps technically About Uncirculated or at least a nice EF. The obverse is perfectly centered and fairly well struck, with great detail in the legends and cuirass, though the portrait shows the usual flatness. A fine die crack up from E of VERMON designates this as a late die state. A few parallel planchet striations of the sort nearly always found on Ryder 10, 11, and 15 are present, the two most significant behind the head. The reverse is also extremely sharp for the issue, particularly at the peripheries, where flowlines are in bold focus. The base of the reverse shows significant roughened planchet texture, as struck, which steals some of the date's thunder. On balance, this is a superb Ryder-10, with some areas as sharp as the finest specimens I've seen. Collecting Vermont coppers is always a give and take process, sacrificing surfaces for sharpness, detail for centering, or a date for central detail. Most collections would be proud to count this fine piece among their Vermont holdings...$985
1783 Georgius Triumpho copper. Breen-1184. VF-25 (PCGS). Even and attractive light brown. A few minor marks, middle die state with a crack present on the reverse but not so advanced that it obliterates the detail. A fascinating crossover piece, at once part of the English evasion halfpenny series, the Washington series, and the Confederation-era circulating coppers. Specimens have been located in American soil, and the iconography of a fleur-de-lis decorated prison trapping the seated Britannia is unmistakeable: this coin was meant for American pockets. The obverse portrait is an imitation of the Irish halfpenny portrait of George III, while the legend makes a gag on the leaders of both sides having the same first name. While plenty of Washington portrait coppers were made after his rise to the Presidency -- or even after his death -- this type was the first produced, and this should have a position of prominence on any Washington want list....$725
1788 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 10-L. Rarity-2. Choice Very Fine. 163.5 grains. Beautiful medium chocolate brown with hard, glossy surfaces and hints of pleasing woodgrain toning. A sharp and attractive type coin, just the sort of surfaces and look most collectors like to see in state coppers. A little rim nick is present over W of WEALTH, another similar on the reverse left of the date, short old scratch at bases of MM of COMMON, a few other very minor contact points here and there. Still choice for the grade, a very wholesome example of the issue. It's tough to find a nicer coin than this that's not priced like an EF...$825
1776 Machin's Mills imitation halfpenny. Vlack 6-76A. Choice Very Fine, ground patina. 110.4 grains. A truly beautiful early American coin -- as long as you like the look of Roman sestertii. A fine, glossy deep green patina has gathered on obverse and reverse, with some dusky encrustation through the legends. The dark jade patina is a bit lighter atop the reverse, but it is hard and complete, not patchy or rough. A few old horizontal pinscratches cross the top of George's head and a nick is present on his cheekbone. The central reverse is softly struck, as always, but the amount of detail present on this piece is far greater than normally encountered. Most grounders turn granular or corrode in the soil, but a select few develop a smooth patina like this. This example has clearly been out of the ground for some time; it was Lot 1086 in the September 1977 Stack's sale, and the envelope accompanies this coin. In hand, this coin offers a distinctive appeal. It also ranks as one of the sharpest examples of this classic Machin issue I've handled...$785
Very Rare Plugged/Regulated Joe, from a West Indian Shipwreck
Brazil / British North America. 1747 6400 reis or half joe. Rio Mint. Clipped, re-edged, and anonymously plugged. Choice Very Fine. A rare prize, pedigreed to the Edward Roehrs Collection and, earlier still, to a shipwreck off the coast of Florida that yielded several American regulated gold pieces. Lightly abraded light yellow gold surfaces show fine granularity from sand exposure. This one has had a variety of misfortunes befall it during its useful life: it was clipped to below standard weight (it remains a half pennyweight light at 206.0 grains / precisely 8 dwt, 14 grains). It was re-edged with a fraudulent design to imitate an unclipped coin. Someone, convinced by the edge, decided to cut the coin to see if it was genuine and gold; it is both, but evidence of their detection method remains right of the date. Most interestingly, the coin was plugged neatly in Joao's hair, placed from the reverse, where a small raised splash of gold remains. These have been termed "anonymous regulations," as they bear no initials of the goldsmith who accomplished the work. After I wrote the Roehrs catalogue, another theory came to light: that this kind of very small, precise plug represents a drillhole to check the composition, a plug that was then replaced by a goldsmith. There remains little documentation of the practical methods of regulation, though we know the city of Charleston felt the problem was significant enough to consider appointing a "Pluggmaster General." A regulation such as this may have been anonymous because it was accomplished by a government contractor in North America or the West Indies. They remain very rare. As noted in the description in the Roehrs sale, another similar piece exists that was found in the Ohio River in Kentucky, so they have a foot to stand in the American series. The fact that the shipwreck which carried this piece had a likely American origin is even more suggestive; the wreck also yielded regulated gold coins from Philadelphia regulated John David, Jr., New York regulator John Burger, and others.
The Roehrs collection was a five decade assemblage of regulated and clipped gold coins, yet contained only a single plug like this. Its wreck provenance, likely American, and its collector pedigree only add to its interest...$4950
1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 3.2-L. Rarity-4. Choice Fine. Lovely glossy medium brown with no flaws beyond wear and some minor, natural planchet striations. The legends are complete, the date is fully present if worn, and the devices are nicely realized. Just a good looking original specimen of this first-year Connecticut copper, ideal for a date or type set...$350
The First Image of a Nova Constellatio Copper
Gentleman's Magazine, October 1786. Very Fine or so, in paper covers as issued, disbound from a larger volume. Plate intact and in excellent condition. This magazine was a popular London magazine of its day, offering literature, news, images, and other tidbits for the upper middle class of the day. This issue also contains a brief description of the piece, noting that "the United States, as appears by the inscription on the front of their coin, have erected the standard of liberty and justice," then snidely notes these two are known "only by name through that vast, once flourishing, continent." How rude. These magazines are scarce today. I have a few in stock; the first order will get the nicest copy...$400
A Double Struck New Jersey Copper: Feeder Fingers Gone Awry?
1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 43-d. Rarity-1. Choice Fine. A cool double strike on a variety that occasionally pops up with cool errors. Nice dark chocolate brown with tan devices. Glossy and smooth, good eye appeal, short old scratch at right truncation of the horsehead but pretty much flawless besides. Double struck, with the first strike wildly off-center (about 75%) to 3:00 on the obverse, 9:00 on the reverse. Still visible from the original strike are a strong arc of dentils on both sides and N of NOVA at the upper right side of the final E in CAESAREA on the dominant strike. The Ford collection contained an impressive off-center example that brought $8000. While there are plenty of 43-ds with minor "chatter doubling", examples like this - with strong separation between the strikes - are very rare. Why are there so many errors on Maris 43-d? It could have to do with the use of feeder fingers to place planchets onto the coining surface, and their malfunction at the time this variety was being struck. There could be other reasons too: a new staff member, poor quality control, or unpredictable press. Owning and studying a coin like this is a seminar on early minting technology in and of itself....$625