Beautiful 1795 Talbot, Allum, & Lee Cent, PCGS MS-64 BN

1795 Talbot, Allum, & Lee Cent. MS-64 BN (PCGS). Superb frosty cartwheel graces choice light brown surfaces, still ringed with original red at the peripheries. The fields are free of disturbances and the strike is definitive, with only a minor toning spot under UM of ALLUM leaving this as something less than a gem. While Talbots in this grade are not rare, this one is nicer than most. An important issue, one that really circulated in New York in the mid 1790s and beyond. This one survived the undignified disposition of most of the unspent survivors: to become half cent planchets at the Philadelphia Mint...Sold

1773 Virginia halfpenny. With Period. Newman 25-M. MS-62 (PCGS). Nice choice chocolate brown with bright lustre and some golden toning. Boldly struck with full definition at the often-soft central reverse. Quite flashy, no marks or spots to note, seemingly worthy of some higher grade or at least very nice for this one. A handsome and very worthwhile example of this truly "colonial" issue, a lot prettier than the more expensive spotted and ugly red/browns out there...Sold

1786 Vermont copper. Lanscape, VERMONTENSIUM. Ryder-8. Rarity-4. Fine. A pleasing tan Vermont landscape with nearly ideal centering and excellent overall eye appeal. Somewhat crudely struck, as is typical, with a secondary planchet cutter line over DECIMA, some light reverse striations, and a more significant striation in the lower right obverse field. The date is clear (though 6 and PUBLICA are a bit weak) and VERMONTENSIUM is complete and all on the planchet. Mostly smooth and pleasantly preserved, this Landscape copper nicely summarizes both the high points and crudity of this popular issue...Sold

French Colonies / France. 1750/48 A 24 deniers or "sou marque." Paris mint. Vlack-30b. Rarity-8. MS-61 (PCGS). A rare overdate, far rarer than the standard 1750-A sou marque, listed as Rarity-5 by Vlack. Glowing bright lustre remains on both sides, with brilliant surfaces showing an attractive pale gold toning. Some natural striations in the planchet appear, manifesting as light roughness at centers, but the strike and eye appeal is good. Similar to the Vlack plate coin, which brought $690 in January 2008 and resold (as PCGS MS-61) in the November 2008 Bowers and Merena sale for $805. This piece is struck from the same dies, though in an earlier state. This type is a vital inclusion in any collection of French colonial pieces, as these circulated widely and commonly in the French dominions of North America and the West Indies, though it is more of a French mainland type adopted into widespread service here rather than a true colonial. Mint State ones are scarce in general, and this overdate variety can rightly be called rare in this or any other grade...Sold

1722 Rosa Americana twopence. Uncrowned Rose. Martin 3-C. VF-30 (PCGS Green Label). A choice example of this largest early American bronze in an old PCGS holder. Even dark chocolate brown with the kind of smooth surfaces infrequently encountered on this issue, with no low spots, bubbling, or areas of roughness. The sharpness is similar to what is typically graded EF-45 today. Just a beautiful and problem-free example...Sold

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-1. AU-50 (PCGS). A lovely, glossy chocolate brown specimen, historically Mint State (a survivor of the Bank of New York hoard, it probably never left its keg) and technically perhaps an AU-55, but probably downgraded a bit for the few light natural planchet striations on the obverse. The most significant one is at the left base of the gnomon. The color and surfaces are beautiful, and good lustre remains. The ideal centering has left MIND YOUR BUSINESS complete and the detail is bold on both sides. Light clashmarks are seen, typical of the variety. With typical Mint State examples now regularly selling for $3000, this seems like good value at...Sold

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 12-M. Rarity-3. VF-35 (PCGS). Medium brown with good sharpness and originality, a little dusky and very attractive. A little planchet gap sits harmlessly right of R in YOUR. Reverse shows clashing, all design elements bold enough to seemingly threaten the EF threshold. This is a nice type example for the grade that happens to not be one of the most often seen varieties...Sold

"1789" (ca. 1825-30) Mott token. Breen-1020. Thick Planchet. Fine to Very Fine. A pleasing circulated example of this popular early American token. Not a colonial by any stretch, instead this was likely struck in the late 1820s, when the Mott clock firm was flourishing and using similar iconography in their advertising. For some reason, this issue is tough to find in nice circulated grades (though that may have something to do with the grading services calling every example of this issue that threatens the Very Fine level MS--62 BN or somesuch). The crummy quality of the dies and the advancement toward obliteration do make this a difficult type to grade, and pieces at every grade level seem to show more nicks and scratches and other assorted damage than other tokens of the era. This one shows some light scratches on the reverse and a shallow old scrape across the clock face on the obverse, but the color and surface quality are excellent. This isn't the latest die state, but it's past what I would term middle die state. Considering how ugly most Mint State examples are, a pleasing circulated example seems like a nice alternative...Sold

1791 Washington Small Eagle cent. Baker-16, Breen-1217. AU-53 (PCGS). Ideal dark chocolate brown with smooth surfaces. A nice clean example, with just a shallow abrasion behind Washington's head to note. What appear to be little rim nicks are actually poorly placed edge lettering for the most part, common on this issue. Washington Small Eagle cents and their slightly more common Large Eagle counterparts were produced in Obediah Westwood's private Birmingham mint. Thousands of them made their way into American commerce via Philadelphia in the early 1790s, circulating alongside large cents of similar weight and perhaps inferior quality. The attractive portrait of Washington adds to this type's desirability...Sold

Skull and crossbones engraving on 1818 N-1 large cent. Coin About Good, engraving finer. A crude but charming rendition of the icon of piracy, poison, a certain club at Yale, and about a thousand other things. The crossed "bones" look like a serpent and a club, which might be purposeful and might just be poor artistry. The most famous numismatic skull and crossbones must be the one on the 1800 Washington Funeral medal, but there are several others. Engraved renditions are scarce and popular...Sold

Rare Pillar Dollar from the French and Indian War Wreck HMS Tilbury (1757)

Mexico.1750 MF eight reales from the 1757 wreck of the HMS Tilbury. Saltwater AU. Chalky patina over well-preserved and barely corroded surfaces, with very little wear evident. The edge device is almost entirely intact, and the eye appeal is far finer than usually encountered on coins from this historic wreck. A scarce provenance, the Tilbury was a British warship that carried the pay for the 1757 (not 1758) British expedition against the French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. The expedition was cancelled, but the taking of the fortress in 1758 gave the British access to the interior of Canada and gave them a firm upper hand in the American theatre of the French and Indian War. The coins recovered from the Tilbury were mostly Pillar dollars, along with some cobs. The coins are seen rarely today, and most are pretty well chewed up. This nice exception comes with a numbered certificate from the French-Canadian salvors, signed in ink (in addition to the usual autopen) by Pierre Leclerc. This is really the only wreck from the French and Indian War that yielded collectible coins, and it makes a fine addition to a collection that includes a piece from the 1761 wreck of Le Auguste...Sold

High Grade Camel Head New Jersey
Ex. Wayte Raymond (1912)-Ryder-Boyd-Tanenbaum

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 56-n. Rarity-1. Camel Head. EF-45 (PCGS). Graded AU-50 in the January 2012 Stack's Americana sale of the Tanenbaum Collection and included as AU in the Howes-Siboni-Ish New Jersey Condition Census, where it is ranked as tied for sixth of this distinctive and plentiful variety. Not overstruck, but coined on a virgin 113 grain planchet, making it unusual among its camelid cousins. The surfaces display a high degree of frosty gloss on its deep chocolate brown surfaces, just a little darker in an area at right central obverse. Nicely struck and detailed, with the shield detail fully delineated, fairly well centered on the planchet with just the bases of the date numerals affected by the edge. A single old hairline under REA is the only flaw worth noting. Technically, this piece shows very little actual wear, placing it among the top echelon of the known Camel Heads. This piece was acquired by Hillyer Ryder from Wayte Raymond's December 1912 United States Coin Company sale, then acquired by F.C.C. Boyd as part of the Ryder collection. John Ford consigned this to the March 1990 Bowers and Merena "Boyd, Brand, and Ryder" sale, where Steve Tanenbaum bought it. It was the nicest of his many Camel Heads and the only one that wasn't overstruck. It was not the most expensive when his collection sold, however, with that laurel going to one overstruck on a Nova Constellatio that realized $4,600. Nice Camel Heads are always avidly sought, and this one add to nearly any advanced specialty or type collection...Sold

Rare Uncleaned Louis d'Or from Le Chameau (1725)

France and colonies. 1725 H louis d'or. La Rochelle mint. Mint State / As salvaged. An unusual example from the famed Le Chameau, the French warship that sank near Louisbourg as it carried pay to French soliders against the English crown and American provincials there. The 1721 and 1722 French colonial copper nine deniers had been carried by the same vessel just a few years earlier, most of which were struck at La Rochelle, like this piece. When the wreck was located in 1965 (near a boulder called Chameau Rock, non-coincidentally), thousands and thousands of silver ecus were found, along with a much smaller proportion of Louis d'or like this. The wave action and sand had corroded much of the silver badly, and most of the gold also had a sandblasted appearance. John Ford consulted with Sotheby's on their 1971 auction of treasure from the wreck, and he had first choice of coins before their wholesale cleaning. He took the opportunity to build a date set and, apparently let Ted Craige select a number of pieces too. Ford personally cleaned his coins with Pepsodent toothpaste (he was fond of telling the story), but Craige left his alone, leaving the louis d'or from his collection among the only ones in their as-found state. This one reflects that originality, with rich crimson crust imbued by years spent near the rusting cannons. In an area of the left obverse, bold and dramatic lustre remains, protected during its time in the water and still gleaming. A raised portion of encrustation is seen on the reverse, showing ferrous buildup and some tiny gravel. I thought this was the most interesting looking example in the Craige collection. As the only gold type in the French colonial canon, not to mention a denomination included among the September 1776 Continental Congress list of legal tender coins, it fits perfectly into any early American collection. If you'd like one of the scrubbed and sandblasted ones that turn up on the market occasionally, you'll have to look elsewhere...Sold

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 63-q. Rarity-3. Large Planchet. About Uncirculated. A gorgeous type coin from the Jack Royse Collection, off the market since he acquired it in December 1969. I had the good fortune of cataloguing the Royse coins raw, before the whole collection went to PCGS, and I graded this piece AU-50, knowing that Large Planchet NJs are always a bit soft at centers and recognizing the sedate remaining lustre and faded mint color for what it is. I described the coin as "Frosty luster has survived on both sides, with subtle hints of faded mint color around legends and plow, particularly strong at NOVA. Perfectly centered and barely worn, though soft at the centers, as so often seen on this Large Planchet variety. A streak of toning is present beneath the final A of CAESAREA. Late die state, with substantial break at upper left corner of shield and cracks through PLU and from the star to shield. A beautiful coin that really offers no post-striking flaws." It was undergraded by PCGS as a VF-35 (one of those lustrous VF New Jerseys that are all over the place), then realized what must be a world record price for a Rarity-3 VF New Jersey at auction. It is now freed of its plastic and offered as the choice type coin that it is...Sold

1774 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 8-74A. Rarity-4. Very Fine. Nice medium chocolate brown with slightly lighter devices, a bit matte on both sides but very pleasing. Excellent visual appeal, no bad marks, just a tiny rim nick at 9:00 on the reverse and two small marks on the right side of the reverse. Just as sharp as this piece that realized $2,070, if not quite as glossy, certainly far finer than this NGC VF-30 that sold for $805. This example is far nicer than typical for this variety and is worth...Sold

1785 Connecticut copper. Miller 3.3-F.3. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Right. Very Fine. Painted Die Variety, in with the Miller number in a familiar configuration in white ink. A pleasing tan specimen, a bit soft at lower obverse below a horizontal striation, but quite sharp above. The reverse is misaligned to 1:00, with a wide rim below the complete date. Some scattered minor striations and light hidden verdigris among the legends are noted but unimportant overall. A good-looking 1785 Connecticut that once graced a high-profile cabinet from a century ago. Comes with an old, somewhat soiled Stack's envelope priced at $7.50...Sold

Choice "Defiant Head" 1751 Circulating Counterfeit Halfpenny

1751 circulating counterfeit halfpenny. Defiant Head. Anton-Kesse 57. Choice Very Fine. 119.4 grains. Put simply, the nicest example of this issue I've ever seen, just marginally less sharp than the AK plate coin, but with ideal and choice glossy chocolate brown surfaces. Smooth, problem-free, and likely impossible to upgrade. This one is way nicer than the Ringo coin which brought $374 in January 2008 (five years ago, which makes me feel old). Ringo's was actually an AK-56, another 1751 variety from the same workshop as this AK-57. Another AK-56 with granular surfaces brought $276 in the January 2010 Stack's Americana sale. There probably aren't many fussy collectors who pursue circulating counterfeit halfpence, since most of the known specimens are damn ugly. If one was fussy about condition, however, this could would be quite a find. In a general sense, struck counterfeit George II halfpence are hundreds (thousands?) of times rarer than struck counterfeit George III halfpence...Sold

1788 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 6-N. Rarity-2. Choice Very Fine. 140.6 grains. Medium brown with some darker toning and a hint of reverse woograining, an attractive blend on both sides. Glossy and smooth, ideal surface quality. No bad marks, just the tiniest rim tick over the first S of MASSACHUSETTS. A choice example for the grade. This coin comes from the collection of the late, great Steve Tanenbaum, whose Massachusetts coppers have recently hit the market. Steve acquired it from the September 1995 Stack's sale (Lot 38) and both his ticket and the auction flip accompany the coin. While Steve found a lot to love in some fairly ugly coins and tokens, this exemplary piece is testament to his eye. It's a keeper...Sold

French Colonies / Guadeloupe. 1767-A sou. Paris mint. Counterstamped RF in 1793 for circulation in Guadeloupe. Choice Very Fine. A popular US colonial issue, though both the undercoin and the countermark were produced for the French Colonies after North America had been ceded. Despite the timeline problem, this type continues to be sought out by most colonial collectors. While some may well have circulated in American Gulf Coast cities, this type absolutely circulated all over the French West Indies. It represents an easy entry into the fascinating cut and countermarked coins of the West Indies, with a tie to the French and Indian War and the French Revolution. Guadeloupe, a tiny sugar island, was traded for the whole of Canada at the Treaty of Paris negotiations in 1763; this was the next coinage authorized for the island after the French re-assumed control. In 1793, the Revolutionary government was in charge of France, and it recalled these pieces to be countermarked to circulate at a different value. These pieces were called "collots" after the governor of Guadeloupe, Georges Henri Victor Collot, who engaged in a spy mission into the American interior in 1795 and 1795 on behalf of the French government. This piece is pleasing dark brown and mahogany with good gloss. Most example of this issue are rather ugly. This one is superb for the grade...Sold

1787 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 4-D, the Bowed Head. Rarity-3+. VF-30 (PCGS). Choice dark chocolate brown with smooth unflawed surfaces. A minuscule nick tucked at the upper left corner of C in MASSACHUSETTS is the only surface flaw notable under a glass. A very well balanced specimen, similar to the Ford triplicate which brought $835 in 2005. This issue stands alone as the very first American cent...Sold

Choice 1787 Fugio Copper, Oh-So-Close+ to Mint State

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 11-X. Rarity-4. AU-58+ (PCGS). In the eyes of PCGS, apparently this is as close as you can get to Mint State without going over. (I grade it MS-62, if that matters). Full bold lustre encircles both sides over choice chocolate brown surfaces. Boldly struck and ideally centered, lovely visual appeal. A planchet striation on the right side of the obverse mainly manifests at R of YOUR and below 87 of the date, while a more subtle low area is present at 10:00 on the edge of the sundial's face. The reverse looks all-but-unflawed, with just a single whisper-thin striation up the right side. This is nicer than a large proportion of the Mint State Fugios in the marketplace. It would make an ideal type coin...Sold

French Colonies. 1722/1-H 9 deniers. La Rochelle mint. Martin 2.13-C.3. Choice Fine to Very Fine. A very nice circulated example of this underrated type, produced for circulation in Nouvelle France and Louisiana. These clearly saw tons of circulation in coin-starved New France, as most are worn nearly slick and surface problems are the norm. This example is a bit weak on the date, but the nub of the 1 underdigit beneath the second 2 remains visible. The surfaces are choice chocolate brown, smooth and appealing, but for a minor natural striation atop the reverse. A new die variety study by Syd Martin, to be published by the Colonial Coin Collectors Club, will undoubtedly invigorate interest in this short series and put pressure on the meager supplies in the marketplace. It would be easy to find a handful of nice sou marques or 1767-A French Colonies/Guadeloupe pieces in a few months of coin shows. Finding any of these, let alone nice ones, would require some luck...Sold

1787 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 4-C. Rarity-4. The Bowed Head. Strong Very Fine. Attractive and mostly smooth charcoal brown with good detail on both sides. Just a hint of subtle surface granularity is present, some faint old abrasions and circulation hairline scratches are visible under a glass. The overall visual impact is very nice, both as a type coin or as a specimen of this distinctive variety. Ford owned three examples of this variety, all ex Ryder-Boyd, and two of them looked about like this one. Good enough for Ryder and Boyd, good enough for me...Sold

Rare and Unusual 1788 Connecticut Obverse Brockage

1788 Connecticut copper. Full obverse brockage. Miller 9. Very Fine, granular. 88.1 grains. Charcoal gray with even granularity, likely from time spent in the soil. Late die state with a bold crack through the right upright of the first N of CONNEC to the head, weak area where a clash usually manifests near 11:0 on the obverse. The brockage impression is quite bold, centered towards 6:00. Very thin planchet, a few dents on the proper obverse, decent eye appeal considering the problematical surfaces. I don't recall seeing another brockage of this obverse, and any Connecticut obverse brockage is scarce or rare...Sold

Well-Balanced Saint Patrick's Farthing

(ca.1667-74?) Saint Patrick farthing. Martin 213.11/F.11. Very Fine. A pleasing and complete Saint Patrick's farthing, a product of the late 17th century that apparently saw circulation in New Jersey in the last quarter of that century and after. The story of Mark Newby's halfpence being accepted into circulation in West Jersey (now South Jersey) is well known, and while this denomination is called a "farthing" today, it is this type -- not the larger "halfpenny" with similar designs -- that is found in the soil of New Jersey today. This piece is a bit better than a typical specimen, with excellent centering and fully legible devices. The fields are a dark olive brown, granular but not rough or otherwise problematical, and the devices are a pleasantly contrasting tan. The brass splash is well centered on the crown. This piece has a well-balanced look that makes it ideal for inclusion in a cabinet that rejects a typical rough, ugly Saint Pat's farthing. The attribution number comes from an as-yet unpublished manuscript by Syd Martin, sure to better organize this prolific series...Sold

The Best Provenanced 1775 Counterfeit Halfpenny Extant?

1775 "Puffy Head" contemporary counterfeit halfpenny. Choice Extremely Fine. 120.9 grains. When I catalogued the first-line Ringo counterfeit halfpennies for the January 2008 Stack's Americana sale, I described it as follows: "Of all the Puffy Heads in existence - and there are a lot of them - it's doubtful any has a better provenance than this one. Rich glossy dark chocolate brown with very nice eye appeal. Well centered and well struck. Late obverse state with cud atop head connected to cud over OR by a arc die crack. A beautiful example that should see strong bidding. From Bowers and Ruddy's sale of the Garrett Collection, Part IV, March 1981, Lot 2244; Richard August to Mike Ringo in November 1985. A Ringo-inscribed envelope accompanies this lot, as does the August envelope. Assigned number 7511MKR." Today it remains both beautiful and historically well-pedigreed. Despite the vast number of superb counterfeit halfpence that appeared in the Ringo sale, few have lingered in the marketplace. It's nice to be able to offer this one again to a new generation of collectors that appreciates the substantial role played by counterfeit halfpence in early American commerce...Sold

G. GREENLEAF countermark on 1798 S-174 large cent. Very Good, mark better. G. GREENLEAF is the hallmark of Newburyport, Massachusetts silversmith George Greenleaf, who was active ca. 1815. The mark was stamped twice on the obverse at right angles, then softly on the reverse two more times, best seen near OF AM. The coin is a very pleasing medium brown, smooth and attractive, with just a few little marks and old circulation scratches. Greenleaf's mark is not listed in Brunk, nor have I encountered it on another coin. Other Newburyport smiths are known to have countermarked early cents though, including Theophilus Bradbury, whose marks are quite similar to Greenleaf's. There has been some suggestion that Jacob Perkins did the engraving for Bradbury's marks, and Greenleaf hallmark punches and pseudohallmarks are seeming echoes of those belonging to his Newburyport neighbor. Not that this is persuasive evidence one way or the other, given the size of Newburyport in this era, but Jacob Perkins married George Greenleaf's second cousin. For such a little town, Newburyport has some fascinating numismatic history, and this large cent was there to see it. A very rare countermark...Sold

High Grade Newman 12-S Fugio, the 2008 Newman Plate Coin, Finer than Boyd-Ford

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 12-S, Rarity-5. Choice Very Fine or better. Lovely even light brown with choice, smooth surfaces. The plate coin in the 2008 edition of Eric P. Newman's United States Fugio Copper Coinage of 1787. Probably Condition Census for this rare variety, certainly finer than the best Boyd could find, which brought $1,675 in the 2003 Ford sale. If this were a common variety, it would be a lovely type coin...Sold

1785 Nova Constellatio copper. Crosby 4-D. Large US, Pointed Rays. Very Fine. A slightly scarcer variety. Deep chocolate brown with good overall eye appeal. Fairly glossy despite very minor granularity, an old scrape crosses the bottom of US diagonally. Just a nice mid-grade example of a Confederation-era copper that should be represented in every collection: imported into the United States by two members of the Continental Congress (Robert Morris and Gouverneur Morris) and business partner William Constable, they were based on the design of the very first coins ever authorized by the Congress. It's remarkable to me that a nice example can still be acquired for something like...Sold

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 20-N. Rarity-4. Wide Shield. Choice Fine. Rich glossy chocolate brown, pretty much ideal for the grade. Some inoffensive minor little marks, central obverse weak from die buckling, excellent eye appeal overall. It surprises me that nice quality circulated state coppers like this are still this cheap...Sold

(ca. 1670s) Saint Patrick halfpenny. Vlack 4-E. Small Letters. VG-10 (PCGS). Pleasing glossy light brown with darker encrustration around devices serving as an old, harmless contrast. Some minor roughness in the fields, devices smooth, very attractive overall. The brass splash is prominent at the base of the crown. Similar to the slightly finer Keller specimen that brought $2,530. This type is always popular, and examples better than VF are all but unheard of...Sold

1788 Massachusetts half cent. Ryder 1-B. Rarity-1. VF-20 (PCGS). Nice pleasing light brown with nice smooth surfaces. A good looking circulated example of this popular coin, struck to the Federal half cent standard a half-decade before the Federal government ever got around to it. Ex. Bowers and Merena's sale of the Marvin Matlock Collection, March 1991, Lot 1030...Sold

Scarce Four Reales from the 1711 HMS Feversham

Mexico / New York. Undated (ca. 1622-65) four reales of Philip IV. From the wreck of the HMS Feversham. Fine, salvaged. Good color and a bold cross make this a very attractive cob, despite typical salvage surfaces. The corrosion is worse on the reverse than obverse, but better overall than most cobs from the Feversham. A little scrape is noted at the thin part of the rim in the northeast quadrant of the obverse. Four reales cobs are perhaps the scarcest denomination from this wreck. They are probably the earliest proveably American "half dollars," and thus serve as the ultimate preface to everything from Bust halves to Kennedys. This coin was circulating in New York in 1711 before the Feversham headed to Nova Scotia on its final voyage...Sold

France (John Law). 1720 AA sol of 12 deniers. Metz mint. Very Fine. Dark chocolate brown with granular surfaces, with a tan obverse portrait of the child king Louis XV and slightly darker shield on the reverse. Decent gloss and contrast, actually pretty nice as these things go, where smooth surfaces are rarely seen and high grades are all but unheard of. Popularly pursued by French colonial collectors, as John Law's firm, the Compagnie des Indes, was in control of the French mints for just 13 months, from December 1719 to January 1721. While coppers of this type (struck as liards of 3 deniers, demi-sols of 6 deniers, and sols of 12 deniers) circulated in North America, they were likely not shipped officially and don't really deserve status as "colonials." This largest denomination seems to be the scarcest, and nice ones command pretty high sums. Even more typical ones, like this, do not turn up with any real regularity...Sold

1793 Washington Ship Halfpenny. Lettered Edge. AU-50 (PCGS). A nice original coin, toned in dark chocolate brown with glossy fields. A light discoloration is present under AS of WASHINGTON, and some old gunk is trapped in the letters, giving this the appearance of an undisturbed and crusty example. The reverse strike is better than most, from a state earlier than many seen. The obverse of this issue was also used on the 1791 Washington Small Eagle cents, an issue that is known to have been shipped to America. It is likely this type joined them. Mint State examples are rare, persuasive evidence that this coin was produced to circulate and not for the Conder collectors of the time...Sold

The Largest Early American Copper

1723 Rosa Americana twopence. Breen-92. AU-53 (NGC). Glossy golden brown with pleasing, even color and surfaces. A handsome specimen of this iconic issue, the single largest bronze coin issued for American circulation...Sold

Very Scarce Original 1688 American Plantations Token

(1688) American Plantations token or 1/24 real. Newman 6-F. Original. VF-35 (PCGS). A very scarce (called Rarity-6) die variety of this elusive tin coinage, one that was never restruck and thus is indubitably 17th century. The surfaces are an even dark pewter gray with brighter silver still lingering around the obverse device. The rim is crumbled at the base of the obverse and near 9:00, while the reverse has crumbled left of 6:00. The surfaces show some gloss, despite their typical tin granularity, and the overall visual appeal is very good. Struck by the British government to circulate in parts of their empire where Spanish coins were most common, particularly North America and the West Indies, from planchets that were 97.5% pure tin. Most collectors today satisfy themselves with one of Matthew Young's 1828 restrikes, forced by the rarity of the originals and the difficulty in discerning the difference among those struck from dies that created both restrikes and originals. It's nice to have an original to offer...Sold

Magnificent Tan African Head Connecticut Copper

1785 Connecticut copper, African Head. Miller 4.1-F.4. Rarity-1 (traditional). VF-20 (PCGS). "Mint Error / Struck on Defective Plan." A spectacular example of the most distinctive portrait in the entire Connecticut copper series. The broad planchet allows full legends on both sides, as well as a complete four digit date. The planchet was so broad that it split during striking, creating a short jagged chasm in the cuirass of the portrait and extending atop the reverse into the seated figure's head. The surfaces are ideal, flawless, and positively choice light tan, smooth and notably free of marks. The peripheries show some unobtrusive natural striations. Though graded VF-20 by PCGS, the detail is bolder than that on the EF-40 (NGC) piece with granular surfaces that brought $1,725 in last year's ANA sale. The Phillip Keller specimen was beautiful and was a steal at $2,760. Other specimens sold for have ranged from the sharp but granular to the three lovely examples in the frontline Ford coins. Assuming one can live with the natural planchet flaw, this is about as nice as a collector can reasonably hope for out of an African Head...Sold

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 15-Y. Rarity-2. Eight Pointed Star. VG-8 (PCGS). Choice glossy light brown, pretty much perfect for the grade. A tiny little natural planchet flaw is noted atop the reverse, minor as this series goes. The top eight-pointed star is bold. An ideal circulated example of this popular Redbook variety...Sold

Sharp 1783 Nova Constellatio, Crosby 1-A

1783 Nova Constellatio copper. Large US, Pointed Rays. Crosby 1-A. Rarity-4. Extremely Fine. Choice glossy tan surfaces with ideal visual appeal. I cracked this out of an NGC AU-50 holder; it's not AU, but it is a nice EF. The centering is good, though the left side of the obverse is always sharper than the right. This axial misalignment, in more severe fashion, is probably how the odd crescent of clashed denticles got into the middle of the reverse. The die state is intermediate here, with some loss of peripheral details while the centers remain strong. Only the most minor marks are present, and this coin is truly choice for its grade. This variety is intriguing, as its die work and production fabric seems so different from all the other Nova Constellatio varieties. Perhaps it was a contemporary counterfeit, perhaps just a one-off effort from an engraver whose contract was not renewed. Given the differences, I'd lean towards the idea that a completely different workshop produced this variety. Its distinctiveness makes it an ideal variety to add to a collection that might already have a Nova Constellatio, and its surfaces and color make it a superb type coin...Sold

High Grade 1813 Cent with Early Philadelphia Counterstamp

1813 large cent counterstamped EBERLE. Sheldon-292. Choice Very Fine. Counterstamped twice, once on obverse at the crown of the head (not coincidentally, the point of highest relief on the coin) and on the reverse upside down across CENT. The coin itself is an anomaly in the Turban Head large cent series, with choice tan surfaces, perfect and smooth, a bit darker on reverse than obverse. The surface is almost entirely devoid of marks, just a tiny nick far above the last A of AMERICA and three closely placed cuts on the edge above stars 1 and 2, invisible from either side. Uncounterstamped, this would be a beautiful and desirable large cent. The counterstamp has been previously listed by Brunk, known solely on an 1811 large cent, but without any description as to its origin. It appears the mark is that of Charles Eberle, a Philadelphia cutler and scientific instrument marker who worked until his death in 1814 at age 52. Eberle emigrated to Philadelphia in 1794 and immediately went to work for Henry Shively, a cutler and instrument marker on 3rd Street while his brothers found work "at Mr. Eckfeldt's, on Fifth Street, a first class smith." By 1807, when he moved into the workshop he remained in until 1814, he hadn't strayed far, when he occupied a spot at 11 N. 6th Street across the block from the US Mint. This cent likely traveled a pretty short distance in its life. This Philadelphia countermark of interesting character, with a connection to Adam Eckfeldt, definitively attributable before 1814, would be an important addition to an advanced merchant counterstamp collection...Sold

1793 Washington Ship Halfpenny. Baker-18, Breen-1225. AU-50 (PCGS). Lettered edge. Even chocolate brown with nice eye appeal. The reverse design is intact, with only light swelling in the upper left obverse field, where die failure eventually obliterates some details. A very thin scratch under S of WASHINGTON looks about as old as the coin itself. An attractive circulating Washington piece that saw American and British pockets during the 1790s...Sold

1788 Machin's Mills circulating imitation halfpenny. Vlack 23-88A. Rarity-2. AU-50 (PCGS). Ideal glossy light brown with beautiful smooth surfaces. Well-centered and nicely struck, totally free of corrosion. A tiny rim tick is noted at 6:00 on the obverse, two other tiny nicks present on the reverse left of 12:00 and above first I of BRITANNIA, but as seen in the image they're not very serious. This final date in the Machin's Mills series is generally pretty tough to find in top grade, and this one seems nicer than the last PCGS AU-50 to hit the market, bringing $2,185 in October 2011. This one has about the best color and surfaces seen on this issue...Sold

Choice 1722-H French Colonies Nine Deniers

French Colonies. 1722 H nine deniers. La Rochelle mint. Choice Fine to Very Fine. Martin 2.16-D.2, according to the prolific Syd Martin's not-yet-published work on die varieties in the underappreciated 1721-22 French Colonies series. Beautiful medium brown with hard glossy surfaces, as close to smooth as ever seen on one of these in circulated grade. An obverse die bulge at RA of FRANCOISES and a short arc crack from the left side of the reverse crown will help identify this variety. No marks or problems, just a nice circulated example. This series has too long been undervalued compared to other early American coppers. Struck explicitly for circulation in New France, this issue was delivered to French Canada and the new settlements of Louisiana and clearly circulated widely. This type is just about impossible to find better than Very Fine and almost never choice. The great Ford Collection, the best grouping of French colonial pieces ever offered, included exactly one specimen. This one is far nicer than that one, and far nicer than most...Sold

1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 33.2-z.17. Rarity-6. Draped Bust Left. Fine or so. Nice two tone dark chocolate brown with light chocolate brown devices. A little granular on the obverse, surfaces more hard and glossy on the reverse. A very distinctive variety among the 33-z family, with a big diagonal die crack across the reverse that shows that the die was on two different planes by the time this die state rolled around. The Tanenbaum piece was graded EF-45 but showed unnatural red and some planchet flaws; it brought $2,070. While this one is no where near as sharp, the shattered reverse is just as impressive in this grade range...Sold

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 12-M. Rarity-3. VF-35 (PCGS). Choice glossy chocolate brown, with picture-perfect hard surfaces. Aside from a microscopic shallow striation under 17 of the date and in the left sunrays, this piece shows pretty much an ideal planchet. The clashmarks on the reverse, typical of this variety, are bold and add visual interest. No serious marks, boldly detailed for the grade despite some natural striking softness below BUSINESS. This is what a Choice VF Fugio should look like...Sold

Choice PCGS EF-45 1787 Massachusetts Half Cent

1787 Massachusetts half cent. Ryder 4-C. Rarity-2. EF-45 (PCGS). Just a beautiful example of this popular issue, the first American half cent. I handled this coin several years ago and was happy to have the chance to buy it back. Light brown around devices shows where mint color was last to fade, dark even chocolate brown fields are consistent on both sides. No heavy marks or flaws, just a minuscule rim nick right of 6:00 that is essentially invisible in the holder. If all Massachusetts half cents looked like this, everyone would want one...Sold

A Choice Example of the First American Cent

1787 Massachusetts cent. Ryder 3-G, Rarity 3-. Extremely Fine. Superb choice chocolate brown, even and ideal, with glossy surfaces on both sides. A few natural obverse planchet striations, mostly at the right side of the Indian, fail to intrude much upon the eye appeal. Massachusetts was the only one of the states to issues "cents" rather than denominationless "coppers" and its use of the term predated the Federal government by five years (and Sierra Leone by four). While problem coins are easy to find, and sharp AUs (typically in Unc holders) turn up at major auctions a few times a year, nice higher-end circulated coins with surfaces like this are tough to find. Ryder3-G is a relatively common variety. Ford's Unc hammered at $9500. This one seems like an excellent value by comparison...Sold

1786 New Jersey copper. Maris 17-k. Rarity-4. F-15 (PCGS). Overstruck on a 1787 Connecticut copper. A very appealing example of this scarce variety, with glossy steel brown surfaces and abundant evidence of undertype. The outstretched, olive-bearing hand of the seated figure on the reverse of the Connecticut seems to protrude from the horse's snout. Some minor little striations are seen below 3:00 on the obverse, and a natural depression is present at the top of the shield, but this piece shows no significant non-production defects. It is choice for whatever grade you choose to assign, and those who recognize that 17-k Jerseys come with central detail only in grades like AU might easily call this a nice VF. This piece was offered as Lot 3152 in the Sherr Collection of New Jersey coppers, sold by Bowers and Merena in June 1984. It would be a nice addition to any collection seeking a nice-looking but interesting New Jersey piece....Sold

Unusual and Scarce Enameled Bust Half

1830 Bust half, reverse richly enamled in blue cloisonne. Coin and enamel About Uncirculated. Bold in color and re-engraved detail, a beautifully produced piece from the Victorian era. Once a pin, with traces of the mount on the obverse. The reverse shows rich royal blue in the fields and white in the shield stripes. The extensive Lester Merkin collection of enameled coins, sold in 2005, contained no Bust coinage in any denomination. An unusual and distinctive addition to a Bust half collection...Sold

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 38-c. Rarity-4. Choice Fine or better. Really probably in the VF range, and absolutely choice, with ideal dark olive surfaces and good natural gloss. A tiny mint-made flaw is present atop the obverse, reverse rim uneven in this late, clashed state of the dies. This is a tough variety to find much better than this. Beyond the variety, this makes an ideal type example of the iconic Jersey horsehead...Sold

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 64-t. Rarity-1. Large Planchet. XF-40 (PCGS). A charming example of this distinctive variety, with glossy dark chocolate brown surfaces with hints of lighter woodgraining. Some natural planchet texture is apparent at absolute center, as always seen, but the horsehead and complete peripheries are better struck than normally. No major post-striking defects, just a good looking New Jersey copper type coin. Despite how common this variety, this piece would probably upgrade several specialists...Sold

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 34-J, the Deer Head. Rarity-2. Very Fine or nearly so. I've always had a soft spot for this variety, the so-called Deer Head, which looks more horse-y than most of the New Jersey horseheads. Often found overstruck, scarce to rare in high grades, ostensibly common but typically ugly, it's just one of those interesting and distinctive varieties that (if all was right in the world) should be a Red Book type. This one is glossy dark olive, a little granular on the reverse but not offensively so. The reverse on this variety is always a grade weaker, and this one is no exception. No undertype is visible, but there may be a Connecticut hiding under there somewhere. Pedigreed to the Steve Tanenbaum Collection...Sold

(ca. 1832-33) Phoenix button. Regiment 20. Large size, 25 mm. Rulau-E Ore 5. Extremely Fine. An exciting and interesting relic of the old Northwest, a button produced for the Haitian forces of Henri Christophe that was imported to Oregon in large quantities by trader Nathaniel Wyeth. Specimens are found all over Oregon and California by relic hunters, and sometimes much further afield, indicating that they became popular trade items with the natives. This specimen, offered in the January 2011 Stack's Americana sale, was consigned by an Oregon family with roots in the area dating to 1852, sold along with about a dozen other examples from the same source. I wish I'd bought all of them, because since that sale I've probably had a dozen people ask to buy an example, mostly while I was at the PNNA show in Tukwila, Washington or the EAC show in Portland, Oregon. Well, I had the chance to buy this in the aftermarket in Baltimore, and I'm glad to offer it to all those folks who were disappointed when I said I didn't have one in stock!...Sold

Choice 1861-O Confederate Obverse Half Dollar
Struck by the Confederate States of America

Confederate States of America. 1861-O half dollar. WB-102. Obverse die crack. Choice Extremely Fine. A choice, lightly circulated example of the only collectible coin that can be provably linked to the Confederacy. While other die pairs have now been linked with strong certainty, this obverse die -- with its arms-length die crack from the rim to Liberty's nose to under her chin -- was the one used on the four Confederate half dollars and is the one most associated with the rebel strikes of this issue. This example shows excellent originality, with subtle lustre still apparent in the fields and old gray toning showing lighter silver highlights and golden traces around design elements. Perhaps showing a diminution of quality control, this one shows a small lamination at 12:00, above stars 8 and 9. Only small nicks are present, and the eye appeal is superb. I don't handle many Federal US coins because (please don't shoot me) most are fairly pedestrian. This issue has long captivated my interest -- there is not another collectible coin with a more direct historical tie to the Confederacy (and I did go to the school that sent more officers to the CSA Army than any other...). When a friend offered me the chance to offer this gorgeous example he set aside years ago, it seemed like a natural fit with the other historical items I try to offer. It is raw, but it's as wholesome as they come -- I'll refund the full price of the coin plus shipping if the coin doesn't go into a PCGS or NGC holder on its first submission. (I'm not promising any grades, but I could see it in a 45 or 50 holder). It's finer than the best piece offered in the 2010 January Americana sale, but there hasn't been much else offered in the EF/AU range in the last few years. If you've been looking for a nice one that's not Mint State, here it is...Sold

Very Rare Regulated Cob from the 1711 HMS Feversham Wreck

Mexico / Colonial Masachusetts. (ca. mid 17th century) eight reales, regulated with a single plug. Very Fine. 22.96 grams, 354.3 grains. Mottled dark toning over predominately lighter silver gray surfaces. Not pretty, but not corroded or granular from its time in the water. The surface quality remains excellent, and some colorful encrustation remains around the plug. Plugged near center with a wedge-shaped piece of silver to bring the weight up to the Massachusetts standard, probably in the mid 1680s or later, when the Boston Mint of Hull and Sanderson had already closed. The only known survivors of this cob regulation scheme are from the 1711 HMS Feversham wreck and a single dug specimen found in Connecticut. The numbers of known pieces are tiny, and they bring strong prices when sold. A good-looking double plugged four reales cob from the Feversham brought $3,760 in a recent Sedwick sale. This example retains its ticket from its initial auction appearance, in the April 1998 Coin Galleries sale, and more recently was in the collection of Edward Roehrs. It tells an important story of the circulation of Spanish cobs by weight in 17th century America...Sold

Boyd-Ford-Tanenbaum 1787 Maris 62-q New Jersey Copper

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 62-q. Rarity-1. Large Planchet. VF-25 (PCGS). Described in the 1990 Chris Schenkel sale by Mike Hodder as "a very pleasing glossy example," showing nice dark steel brown surfaces, a bit more light brown around the lower obverse. Perfectly centered with a full complement of denticles on both sides, free of any consequential marks whatsoever. Softly struck at centers, as always for this variety, but accurately graded. Hints of the WM for Walter Mould remain under the decorations beneath the horsehead on the obverse, an aspect not studied or noticed under after the unique WM Maris 62 1/2-r was discovered in 1995. These are the only dies in the entire New Jersey series so signed. Before its offering in the recent Steve Tanenbaum sale, this was last sold in Bowers and Merena's November 1990 Chris Schenkel sale as Lot 5487, coming from a consignment of duplicates from the F.C.C. Boyd collection. Owned by just three collectors over the last century, this is a prime mid-grade example of this iconic Large Planchet variety...Sold

Classic Large Planchet Pine Tree Shilling

1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling. Noe-1, Rarity-2. Large Planchet. Very Fine, Genuine (PCGS). A very collectible example of this iconic early American issue. The tree is strong, MASATHVSETS is complete, the reverse legend is likewise intact, and the date and denomination are strong. This piece was probably in the ground at some point, judging by the light encrustation at the right obverse rim, and some faint roughness is visible under a glass on both sides. More significant striations are seen at the lower right side of the reverse. Most of the surfaces are a pleasing medium gray. The PCGS encapsulation notes "surfaces tooled," though it appears under magnification as more like a series of light scratches and abrasions from the removal of whatever crust was present when this piece emerged from the earth. A batch of scratches is visible at the base of the obverse, others in the fields and at lower right reverse are more subtle. Though not perfect, this piece is pleasant in hand and its historical interest remains intact. With mid-grade Noe-1 now bringing mid to high four figures, it is difficult to find a full weight piece with no hole under $2000...Sold

1774 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 7-74A. U in GEORGIUS. Rarity-5+. Fine-15. A good-looking example of this rare Machin's variety, struck from the obverse that is perhaps the closest to that of a genuine George III halfpenny of the era. This one is light brown with good gloss despite fine surface granularity under a glass. A few old nicks are present on the portrait, ancient scrape in lower right reverse field. A bit soft at central reverse, but easily Fine and arguably VF on the obverse. The specimen that brought $1,610 in a 2007 Stack's sale was actually less sharp than this one, smoother on the obverse, some green-red patina on the reverse, and had a couple serious rim bruises. I catalogued that piece (and have an annotated copy of the print catalogue here, though the online version now sadly lacks a picture) and would probably see this one as the better piece. I doubt that piece would sell for as much today, but it is interesting that this one is...Sold

1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 13-D. Rarity-2. Mailed Bust Left. Choice Fine. Very attractive chocolate brown with good gloss and appealing surfaces. The fields are smooth and the details are mostly bold. The reverse is notably off-center, showing the die edge and a significant unstruck areas. A few short old scratches are present on the obverse figure's forehead, otherwise this piece is problem-free. Pedigreed to the Steve Tanenbaum Collection, earlier purchased from Mike Ringo in 1986. A handsome state copper with a provenance to two of the modern greats in the field, both of whom appreciated interesting error coins...Sold

1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 16.1-m. Rarity-5. Extremely Fine. Cracked out of an NGC EF-40 holder, which is a fairly accurate conception of the high grade of this coin. Glossy light brown surfaces show the gloss of a barely worn coin. Axial misalignment has left the left side of both obverse and reverse extremely sharp and glossy, while the right side is somewhat softer and reveals some light striated planchet texture. No bad marks, though there is an essentially invisible mark at the 8 of the date. From the Steve Tanenbaum Collection. Steve typically only upgraded his Connecticuts if he could find a piece that was significantly better at a fair price. He paid $632.50 for this one in the April 2006 Heritage sale. I figured it would bring similar money five years later when offered among Steve's Connecticut copper collection, but it somehow fell through the cracks a bit. That happens sometimes, so you get to buy it right for...Sold

Choice Original Dies 1796 Castorland Medal in Copper, MS-64 BN (PCGS)

1796 Castorland medal. Breen-1063. Original Dies. Copper. MS-64 BN (PCGS). Reeded Edge. Struck from the same obverse and reverse die as the original 1796 issues, sometime before 1842. Certified by PCGS as "Castorland, Cu, RE / Restrike-Original Dies RE," with the reeded edge plainly visible in their Edge View holder. A beautiful piece, richly lustrous over gold-tinted medium brown surfaces that show special preparation and reflectivity. At least three distinct impressions from the screw-press driven dies are visible at the peripheries, though it's easier to picture these as extra swings of the crossbar with the dies engaged rather than three distinct impressions. The detail imbued by this striking pressure is exquisite on both sides, from center to rims. The reverse is now broken and bowed at right, described in Breen's Encyclopedia as "buckling at PARENS (at first very faint); later, break through final S into field." A single spot in the upper left obverse field keep this from a somewhat higher grade. Little distinguishes this from the MS-65 BN (PCGS) sold by StacksBowers for $10,350 in August 2011 -- the quality is a point off, the die state is somewhat later, but the dies and look are the same.

This piece is one of three pieces plated on PCGS Coinfacts -- that the MS-65 BN illustrated on the site is actually struck later from the copy reverse die illustrates the confusion at the grading services and auction houses between originals and copy die restrikes. Among the sales listings on that site (worth the subscription price, by the way), the NGC Proof-64 at $805 is also struck from a copy reverse die. Breen called original die strikes in copper "very rare," while a recent StacksBowers sale noted "fewer than 10 original copper strikings with reeded edge from these dies extant," which perhaps overestimates its rarity a bit. A very nice MS-66 example from essentially the same die state as this brought $2070 at Heritage in January 2010 and $2645 in April 2009. This die state was probably struck fairly close to 1842, when edges began to be marked CUIVRE instead of being reeded; this reverse die was replaced at about the same time. PCGS has certified these as (1796-1800) in the recent past, though I'd date this state circa 1830s. Beautiful, interesting, and very elusive. The population figures are a little muddled for this issue. Just four are listed as original dies, reeded edge, like this one, but the reeded edge MS-66 that sold at Heritage was listed as a plain edge, one of eight certified as such. Suffice it to say these are rare; this is the first I've owned...Sold

1791 Washington Small Eagle cent. Baker-16, Breen-1217. Fine. If you needed proof that John Gregory Hancock's Small Eagle cents circulated, here it is. Nice even chocolate brown with no major problems, just a few very minor rim bruises consistent with the grade. Most examples of this type, struck in major agreement with the terms of the Senate version of the Mint Act, are in VF-EF, but some examples clearly stayed in circulation for quite some time. If the House version had not been selected over the Senate version, this might be what a Chain cent looked like...Sold

1771 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 2-71A. Rarity-4. Fine. Nice even medium chocolate brown. Mostly smooth but for some natural planchet pits in a band across the central reverse. Very pleasing in-hand. Machin's Mills pieces, despite their great association with the famous Patriot engineer Capt. Thomas Machin, are still undercollected. Pieces like this still seem cheap at...Sold

France / John Law. 1720 BB liard. Strasbourg Mint. Choice Very Fine. Rich chocolate brown with simply ideal glossy surfaces. This is definitely the most problem free VF I've ever seen, and I've only seen four or five better ones. I collected French colonials and associated issues for about a decade before I ever "went pro," so I sought these things out -- they just don't exist choice. While not properly a French colonial coin, this year has been collected since the 19th century for its association with the notorious Scottish financier John Law. Law controlled the French mints from December 1719 until January 1721, making 1720-dated coins the only surefire numismatic tie to his Mississippi Bubble scheme. This type would have found ready circulation in both French and British America in the 18th century, and I'm sure some made their way here. This one is unimproveably pretty....Sold

French Colonies / Guadeloupe. 1767-A sou. Paris mint. Counterstamped RF in 1793 for circulation in Guadeloupe. Choice Very Fine. A popular US colonial issue, though both the undercoin and the countermark were produced for the French Colonies after North America had been ceded. Despite the timeline problem, this type continues to be sought out by most colonial collectors. While some may well have circulated in American Gulf Coast cities, this type absolutely circulated all over the French West Indies. It represents an easy entry into the fascinating cut and countermarked coins of the West Indies, with a tie to the French and Indian War and the French Revolution. Guadeloupe, a tiny sugar island, was traded for the whole of Canada at the Treaty of Paris negotiations in 1763; this was the next coinage authorized for the island after the French re-assumed control. In 1793, the Revolutionary government was in charge of France, and it recalled these pieces to be countermarked to circulate at a different value. These pieces were called "collots" after the governor of Guadeloupe, Georges Henri Victor Collot, who engaged in a spy mission into the American interior in 1795 and 1795 on behalf of the French government. This piece is pleasing dark brown and mahogany with good gloss. Most example of this issue are rather ugly. This one is superb for the grade...Sold

(ca. 1836) Houck's Panacea, Baltimore. Low-400. Countermark on 1831 O-108 half dollar. Choice Extremely Fine. A bold mark, fully outlined but for the bottom right corner, in its usual location on the left obverse field of a Bust half dollar. Lovely pale blue toning fades to crimson and gold at the rims. A rim nick is present at 9:00, and a thin hairscratch across the bust towards the date is only noted under careful scrutiny. Great color and surfaces and the especially bold countermark make this an above average example...Sold

Great Britain / Massachusetts. 1749 halfpenny. George II. Extremely Fine. Dark olive brown with a little fine granularity and an earthen patina. A high grade grounder with nice surface gloss and excellent sharpness. A tiny rim nick is noted atop the obverse. While I don't have any specific evidence on this piece, this is what the finest of the 1749 halfpence found in New England soil tend to look like...Sold

Scarce Pillar Dollar from L'Auguste, Sunk in 1761

Mexico. 1741 MF eight reales. Mexico City Mint. Extremely Fine, salvaged. GENUINE (PCGS). From the 1761 wreck of L'Auguste. A very attractive survivor from this evocative shipwreck, whose passengers consisted of high profile French refugees, fleeing from recently conquered Montreal during the French and Indian War. Unlike the coins of Le Chameau, which were bound for New France but never quite got to shore, the Pillar dollars (and, more rarely, ecus) of L'Auguste were in active circulation in Montreal when they hit the deck of the ship. The number of coins salvaged from L'Auguste is far smaller than some other wrecks of American interest, and they were never offered at a major auction. A small group came out a few years ago, and this is one of the finest of those, with the added security of being certified as being from L'Auguste on the PCGS label. The surfaces are even dark gray, matte but not badly corroded, far finer than most from this wreck that hit the market. A similar piece brought $1,150 at Stack's in June 2010. The best history of L'Auguste is available online here. It's a gripping read, and this is a fascinating relic...Sold

1787 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 17-87B, Rarity-2. Very Fine. 115.0 grains. Light brown devices contrast nicely with dark olive brown fields. Glossy and attractive, with just a bit of fine even granularity of the sort not likely to offend anyone who collects Confederation-era coppers, nor likely to offend the folks at the grading services. A good-looking and well-balanced specimen of this popular issue...Sold

"1787" (i.e. ca. 1859) "New Haven" "restrike" Fugio copper struck copy. Extremely Fine. Dark chocolate brown with hints of brassy toning on the gnomon and beneath the date. Smooth and appealing, problem free, just a hint of wear. I generally avoid New Haven Restrikes -- they're in the same class as other struck copies made from whole cloth in the mid-19th century, but their inclusion in the Red Book has driven their price through the stratosphere, thanks to certification-driven demand for top grade pieces. These are meant to be Unc, as they were sold directly to collectors. So Uncs don't excite me much. This piece, on the other hand, tickled my novelty bone...Sold

Superb Gem White Metal Dickeson Sommers Island Copy

(ca. late 1850s) Sommers Island Shilling copy by Dr. Montroville W. Dickeson. White metal, 32 mm. Choice Mint State. Flashy, beautiful, barely toned white metal, as reflective as when struck. Some faint toning is present, only minor hairlines, sharp and spectacular. The Boyd-Ford Collection had specimens of this popular and scarce struck copy in copper and brass, but none in white metal. This is also said to exist in nickel. Prices for gem examples have been strong at auction, and this composition seems far rarer than either copper or brass. In fact, in technical terms, this is probably rarer than real Sommers Island shillings of 1616, even though it was produced as (and remains) a more cost-effective way to represent British North America's first circulating coinage. Of course, this thing is also a whole lot prettier than any Sommers Island shilling...Sold

PCGS-Slabbed Pine Tree Shilling from the 1711 Wreck of the Feversham

1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling. Large Planchet. Noe 4, 5, or 6., Crosby 5-B. GENUINE (PCGS). 41.5 grains. "Clipped / Surface Damage" is the notation on the PCGS holder. The surfaces are mostly dark gray, with some silvery gray and light earthen encrustation. Significantly granular on both sides, typical of the silver pieces (both Massachusetts silver and cobs) found among the treasure of the HMS Feversham. The lower left obverse / lower right reverse is somewhat bent. The tree is complete, the obverse legends are almost so, while on the reverse the date is fairly bold and a good portion of the peripheral legends remain. I can't discern exactly which Noe variety it is, but the dies are the ones Crosby called obverse 5 and reverse B -- all three noted Noe "varieties" are struck from the same dies. This is the first Feversham Massachusetts piece I've ever seen in a PCGS holder, probably because there's not a single piece from the wreck whose surface quality would allow it a normal grade. This is about typical for a Feversham Pine Tree: sharper than many, but with the same sort of color and surfaces. Large planchet examples, like this one, are more avidly sought in the marketplace (PCGS has noted this one as being a Large Planchet). The Feversham is one of the classic American wrecks, found with the coins it took out of commerce in New York in 1711. The wreck proved the widespread, long term circulation of Massachusetts silver and redefined our ideas of what was circulating in early 18th century New York. Whenever I have a piece of Massachusetts silver from this wreck, it seems to sell quickly...Sold

Lovely 1788 Vermont Ryder-20

1788 Vermont copper. Ryder-20. Rarity-4. Very Fine. Smooth and choice medium brown, really ideal color and surfaces for a Vermont type coin. A little natural inclusion is present by the nose on the obverse, short scratch under UC of AUCTORI, a couple little reverse nicks including two over the head. Two very bold die breaks stretch from the left reverse rim into the letters of INDE and into the forehead of the seated figure. These breaks have softened the reverse detail in this die state. A handsome example with far better surfaces and appeal than most Vermonts of this type. Those a grade finer are both very scarce and significantly more pricey. From the Phillip Keller Collection, acquired from Al Hoch in 1960...Sold

Extremely Rare 1787 Fugio Copper, Newman 17-I, Rarity-7. Just the Seventh Known.

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 17-I. Rarity-7. Fine. 143.8 grains. Dark charcoal brown with finely granular surfaces. The upper obverse, where swelling swallows most details, shows a bit more significant roughness. A few diagonal striations are present on the obverse, and the rim is flawed at 9:00 on that side. The detail remains fairly sharp, especially considering the advanced state of both obverse and reverse, failures that quickly condemned this die marriage to future rarity. A recent discovery, this is just the seventh known example of this Newman variety. Boyd and Ford lacked it entirely, as it was not discovered until 1961, and when Kessler was published, it remained unique.

The finest known, which I catalogued for the September 2005 C.L. Lee sale at American Numismatic Rarities, was the last example discovered. It sold for $18,400. Norweb's brought $3,300 almost twenty-five years ago. If this was a New Jersey, Vermont, or Connecticut with only seven known, this would sell for five figures. Fugios are ripe to be collected when a rarity like this can be had for...Sold

Very Sharp Head Left New Jersey, Maris 50-f

1788 New Jersey copper. Maris 50-f, Rarity-2. Head Left. Very Fine (PCGS Genuine). A high grade example of this rare type, consisting of just three Maris numbers. Very few examples of any of the Head Lefts can be called choice, in any grade. This one is fairly smooth and glossy, though an inactive area of corrosion is present behind the horsehead. The reverse shows a few old nicks (teethmarks?) beneath US of PLURIBUS. Were this gradeable by PCGS, in other words, but for the minor roughness behind the horsehead, this would sell for several thousand dollars. As it is, it's finer than most in the marketplace and represents a good value for...Sold

H.E. HUNT countermark on 1828 O-107 half dollar. Very Fine. Brilliant silver gray, lightly cleaned but still showing deeper toning in areas around design elements along with good overall eye appeal. Boldly marked H.E. HUNT in large capital letters within a serrated cartouche. This mark is a new one on me, and it's not listed in Brunk either. The size and depth of the mark suggests a worker in a non-precious metal, more likely a blacksmith or clockmaker than a silversmith. Somewhere in a directory, or online, is the answer. Any kind of countermark on a Bust half (or any denomination) is avidly sought, and today's maverick becomes tomorrow's rarity with the help of evolving information resources...Sold

1786 Vermont copper. Ryder-11. Rarity-4. Mailed Bust Left. Choice Fine or a bit better. This seems like a common coin -- until you go look for a Ryder-11 that has full obverse legends and a full date. The full obverse legend is occasionally located, but a full four-digit date almost never is. This piece is a nice even chocolate brown, struck on a lightly flawed and essentially Vermontish planchet, yet with no corrosion or post-striking flaws. Indeed, both sides are glossy and pleasing. This is an ideal specimen in many ways, even if 90% of U.S. coin collectors would look at it and think it's a total piece of trash. It's no wonder people love Vermont coppers so much!...Sold

France / John Law. 1720 sol. Strasbourg (BB) mint. Nice Very Fine. Fairly smooth and very pleasing, dusky light brown on the obverse and even chocolate brown on the reverse. There is a die crack within the shield on the reverse. This denomination, listed in the Redbook and long collected in American cabinets, is tough to find nice. Most look like total garbage. This one is a lot nicer than that. Its collectibility comes from the American relevance of John Law of Mississippi Bubble fame. He controlled the French mints from December 1719 to January 1721, making 1720-dated coins the only real "John Law" coins. The insinuations that these coins were distributed in America officially is, so far, not proven in the documents, though colonial 9 deniers coppers were shipped to Nouvelle France in 1721. This denomination would have fit into the American scheme as a "copper" and undoubtedly many reached our shores...Sold

Choice Mint State 1787 Fugio Copper

1787 Fugio copper. Newman 13-X. Rarity-2. MS-62 BN (PCGS). Clipped Planchet. Lustrous dark chocolate brown with strong cartwheel on the reverse and hints of faded mint color. A tiny mint clip is present, mostly hidden by the holder, at 7:00 on the obverse, 10:00 on the reverse. There no significant striations, the legends are complete, and the devices are sharp -- this is a very even and attractive survivor from the Bank of New York hoard. While Mint State Fugios, thanks to Royal Flint's misfortune in 1789, are fairly common today, nice examples have become a lot scarcer in the market than they were just a few years ago. This one would be an ideal type coin....Sold

Classic 1652 Massachusetts Oak Tree Shilling

1652 Massachusetts Oak Tree shilling. Noe-14. Rarity-4. Very Fine. 71.0 grains, a full weight and unclipped specimen. Old medium gray on the obverse, darker gray atop the reverse and lighter in the lower left quadrant. Some light surface deposits betray a past that included some time in the ground, with a little raised patch atop the tree and a more significant area under GLAND to the right side of the reverse. The legends are complete, the tree is sharp, and the visual impact is pleasing, with the toning giving this something of the appeal of a relic (which it is). Were it not for the little deposits, this would slab up some nice VF grade and be worth a lot more. Coins like that exist and can be had; this isn't one of them. (Ford's triplicate was, though, and it hammered at $9000 in 2005). As it is, the deposits are inactive and are not dealbreakers visually. This historic piece represents good value at...Sold

Choice High Grade 1787 Nova Eborac Copper

1787 Nova Eborac copper. Breen-986. Reverse figure seated left. AU-53 (PCGS). Nice glossy light brown with deeper highlights on devices, even medium brown on the reverse. A handsome example of this popular type, a non-official state issue but typically included in the short type set of state coppers. The obverse is aligned slightly to the left, as is usually the case. The reverse is an early enough die state that the date digits are still visible, particularly important here because those numerals are punch-linked to the Brasher doubloon. Some old marks are noted, including a dull diagonal scratch on the central reverse, but the eye appeal is outstanding. PCGS has graded 10 pieces in the AU-55 to 58 range, along with a smaller number of Mint State pieces. I don't often encounter nice looking high grade pieces, and a lot of the high grade certified examples are just plain ugly. This one was purchased from Don Taxay in the 1970s and is accompanied by an envelope terming it "Extremely Fine, unusually choice surface quality and coloration, rare grade." When you're right, you're right. The last PCGS AU-53 Stack's sold was a little sharper, but it had a pit at the obverse figure's lips that had been crudely tooled. That one perhaps had better arms-length eye appeal and sharpness, but it also brought $3,737. This one is ostensibly the exact same hair-splitting grade. See why price is more important than grade on colonials?...Sold

An Artifact of the Primordial Forest: the 1820 Northwest Company Token

1820 Northwest Company token. Brass. Holed, as issued. Fine or better. Mottled brassy gold with deeper olive and earthen tones. The reverse is darker than the obverse and shows a corrosion depression behind the beaver. The rim is a little ragged at 1:00 and the hole shows good natural wear. The legends are complete on both sides, but for a weak CO in COMPANY. There is actually generous detail on the piece, and it is not as badly corroded as most. It is mostly glossy and fairly pleasing, with looks that are consistent with others I have seen that were traced to the Umpqua River Hoard, mostly dispersed by Bowers and Ruddy. Issued the year before the Northwest Company was absorbed into the Hudson's Bay Company, it would be 25 more years before Oregon became an organized American territory, and this piece looks to have put in its time in that fertile wilderness...Sold

Beautiful Circulated Virginia Halfpenny, No Period

1773 Virginia halfpenny. Newman 4-O. No Period. Choice Very Fine or better. Superb dark chocolate brown, even, glossy, smooth, and choice. About as nice as can be. Reverse die failing at NIA, coin swollen in that region. Ex. Phillip Keller Collection, earlier sold as part of Lot 58 in New Netherlands 51st Sale, June 1958. Circulated Virginia halfpence are among my favorite early American issues. While the friendly price of Mint State examples means most collectors simply seek out an Unc. type example, those coins sat in a keg until the era of the Civil War and didn't leave the hands of Col. Mendes Cohen's descendants until the 1920s. Circulated Virginia halfpence had a narrow window to enter circulation - roughly a year between 1774 and the beginning of hostilities. Most of those coins, the ones that were actual hand-held witnesses to the birth of the Republic, are now in awful shape. Coins like this - lightly circulated but choice - are dozens of times rarer than Uncs. This Newman variety was missing from the Boyd-Ford Collection and should be considered very scarce at least, adding another layer of desirability. ... Sold

1792 Birch cent electrotype. As Judd-4. About Uncirculated. Plain edge with seam instead of original edge lettering. A superb 19th century copy of the Bushnell-Parmelee-Jenks-Green specimen, plated in Crosby's Early Coins of America, Plate X. Were it not for the minor areas of lead on Liberty's neck and a few areas at the periphery, this would be a very dangerous copy. Crosby used electrotypes in the production of his plates, and this could very well be the one he used. If not, it was at least likely made at the same time, placing its production before 1875. The peculiar alignment of the obverse denticles makes for positive connection between this piece and its host coin. Fine electrotypes of Birch cents are rare (as are the coins, of course, with perhaps just 10 known). I laid out what I think was a fairly good case for the Birch cents being the first of the 1792 cents, not the last, based upon the original comments Jefferson submitted to Washington for use in his Annual Message - a document that neither Judd nor Breen knew about. In short, there were some cents struck at the same time as the half dismes. We know when the silver-center and fusible alloy cents were struck (December), so only the Birch cents could have been struck before Washington's message. Further, the bust on them is the same as the bust on the half disme, suggesting the same source (the date numerals also are stylistically similar). This ownable version of the first American cent has an interesting and long history all its own...Sold

1778 Machin's Mills halfpenny. Vlack 13-78B. Rarity-5. Double struck. Fine. An eye-catching error on this scarce Machin's variety. Struck once with a normal, centered obverse and an uncertain reverse, then struck again, off-center on both sides about 30%. The reverse shows little detail, just a bit of the shield of Britannia and some of her spear, as messy double striking and wear conspired to make it damn near blank. Some depressions at the right side of the reverse suggest the possibility of an off-center brockage strike--honestly, this coin is probably too worn to tell for sure, but I can't rule it out. The obverse error is bold, and the overall eye appeal is nice, with dark brown surfaces and lighter devices amidst only fine granularity. The off-center portrait is bold, as is GEORGIVS; the original impressions of each is only partially visible. A cool error, perhaps bound for a type set of Confederation copper errors...Sold

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 53-j. Rarity-4. Choice Fine and probably Very Fine to most people. Choice glossy light tan, an ideal shade. As problem free as one could hope for a state copper in circulated condition. There's a little nick at the end of the plow, a similar one hidden on the plow under the corner of the horsehead, and some surface dirt on both sides, but if you care you probably don't collect circulated state coppers anyway. I've always thought some varieties just look nicer than others, and that those varieties are more desirable all other things being equal, something like the premium an ancient coin of "fine style" or superior engraving would bring. In other words, I'd rather have the classic horsehead on the Maris obverse 53 than a messed up and dumpy 46-e. It just seems to make a nicer type coin...Sold

1786 Connecticut copper. Miller 1-A, the "Double Chin." Rarity-4+. Choice Fine. Rich dark chocolate with slightly lighter devices. Glossy, if a bit matte. Free of marks and, notably, any significant planchet striations, just a single thin one at the reverse figure's waist, the lowest spot on the coin. This variety, considered a circulating counterfeit, tends to come on striated and poor quality planchet stock. This one's even appearance and lack of any damage sets it apart from most. Ford had two sharper ones (which were cheap, in retrospect to 2005), though neither had a planchet this even.
Its provenance is also interesting, consigned to a 1953 New Netherlands sale from "F.S. European Consignment." The 35 lots of that consignment consisted principally of three colonial group lots, several lots of low grade early half cents and large cents, some high grade Indian cents and a worn 1856 Flyer, along with some miscellaneous other coins and medalets. It's an odd lot, perhaps a dealer consignment rather than a collection. This piece was in a group of nine Connecticuts, "apparently all different; one or two quite rare. Fair to V. Good, an average lot." It's interesting to ponder how these nine random Connecticuts might have chanced to get to Europe. Among other later lots in the sale were Hiller Ryder's magnificent large cents, a 1792 disme in copper, and a lot of rare Confederate paper money.
Ex Keller Collection. Earlier, from New Netherlands Coin Company's 41st sale, September 1953, part of Lot 2...Sold

A Scarce Crosby 5-E 1785 Nova Constellatio copper, ex Suitcase Foster

1785 Nova Constellatio copper. Crosby 5-E. Rarity-4. Choice Extremely Fine. A tough variety to find in nice grade. This one, from the Keller Collection, was purchased from Charles "Suitcase" Foster in September 1952. Foster, who apparently schlepped his coins around in a suitcase, was an influential upstate New York collector and dealer of the era, handling such things as obsolete currency, Indian Peace medals, and colonials. The coin is deep glossy brown with smooth, even surfaces. A small area of mahogany toning at the bottom reverse rim conceals a little spot, otherwise this piece is blemish free. Ford had three of these, all from Boyd: a nice Unc that sold for almost $9000, an AU that brought over $5000, and a Choice EF with "light rim bumps" that netted about $3000. The Nova Constellatio variety set - just 10 coins, including the non-authorized 1786 rarity - is an easily accomplished project, though finding EF or AU coins with smooth surfaces and matching color is a challenge, particularly Crosby 2-A (the small date), Crosby 4-C, and Crosby 5-E. This coin would be a great start...Sold

Highly Distinctive New Jersey Maris 56-n on Counterfeit George II (!) Halfpenny

1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 56-n. Rarity-1 as a variety, but with an extremely rare and unusual undertype. Choice Fine, maybe Very Fine on a good day. 104.5 grains. Rich and glossy dark chocolate brown, some very minor old scratches on the obverse, natural pitting where the undertype was not fully obliterated at central reverse. Boldly overstruck on a lightweight counterfeit English halfpenny of the obsolete George II type. Most of the middle third of the central obverse device is visible at central reverse, including nose, chin, hair ribbons, and shoulder outlines. Both of Britannia's arms, some of the pole, and her waist are visible on the New Jersey obverse. The undertype is fairly crude. Maris 56-ns come struck over just about everything copper, though Connecticut coppers and counterfeit George III halfpence are those most commonly encountered ones. While I don't doubt there are other George II undertypes known, I don't recall ever seeing one - and I like undertypes enough to look at pretty much every 56-n I can. It's a very pretty coin that would be hard to duplicate ... Sold

1787 Connecticut copper. Miller 8-O, the Tallest Head. R-3. Choice Very Fine. Lovely light tan surfaces, glossy and smooth nearly everywhere, though showing some light striations in the left obverse field. Two little rim nicks are noted in the upper left obverse, centered towards 12:00 on the obverse, ideally centered on the reverse with a visible date. Definitely an upgrade over the Coinfacts plate coin. This variety, much like 8-N, tends to come sharp on the lower obverse, soft on the top, which may have something to do with its makeover: in a past life, obverse 8 was obverse 16.5 of 1787, which (in its obverse 8 manifestation) has been drastically reengraved. It turns out the Philadelphia Mint did this with cent dies in 1793 and 1794 as well. There are a whole mess of Connecticut copper varieties, most of which I don't find terribly interesting. This one I do. Ford's wasn't too much sharper but did have a very strong obverse strike, it brought $1610 in 2005. ... Sold

Louis d'or from the wreck of Le Chameau

France / Canada. 1725 H (La Rochelle Mint) Louis d'or from the wreck of Le Chameau, sunk at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, August 27, 1725. Breen-321. An uncleaned Mint State example of a gold coin shipped to North America at the specific behest of the French crown. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of Louis d'ors and ecus were aboard Le Chameau, the entire annual allowance for Canada, along with about 200 men, mostly new recruits bound for the new French fortress at Louisbourg, at the tip of Cape Breton Island. As the ship approached the treacherous harbor, it foundered and all were lost. Beginning in the mid 1960s, the treasure of the ship was salvaged, and it was introduced to the market in 1971 via a Sotheby Parke-Bernet auction in New York City. John Ford served as one of the initial consultants - for his pay, he asked to select a set of coins by date and mintmark before they were cleaned. This was Ford's 1725-H, the most famous (and numerous) date from the wreck. La Rochelle was the departing port for Le Chameau, so these coins were likely the newest at the time it left. The coin shows strong frosty luster on its finely sandblasted surfaces. The left side of both sides shows pleasing multicolored toning. While the vast majority of French colonial types, including those listed in the Redbook, are collected just because of their American association - i.e., a good number of those types happen to circulate on American soil - the coins of Le Chameau definitively got here (or at least to within a few hundred feet). Louisbourg was twice conquered by New Englanders, once in 1744 and again in 1758. Today, it is a remarkable reconstructed historical site. ... Sold

A True 2 Bits - a 1/4 Cut Eight Reales, Plated in Pridmore

Early America / West Indies. One-Quarter cut portion of an 180- Carlos IV eight reales, a quarter dollar of its era. Very Fine or so. 110 grains / 7.13 grams. Nice old dark patina, consistent and untouched. The edges show the typical half-cut, half-torn look of most authentic 18th-19th century cut coins, bent up at one corner and a bit uneven, as made. Pridmore, in his still-standard masterwork on coins of the West Indies from 1965, plated this piece under Barbados as a representative as the cut coins authorized to circulated there after 1791. This piece is a bit overweight by the terms of that statute, and in truth it could have been cut (or circulated) anywhere. Most of the cut coins I've seen of this vintage (1st quarter of the 19th century) have come out of the Ohio River Valley, where cut coins (called "sharps" or "sharp money") circulated well into the 1830s. The amount of wear and style of cutting is consistent with that vintage, but who knows. Pridmore associated it with the West Indies, and he may had some context or provenance to suggest that. Most of the cut eight reales I sell were cut and marked in Curacao in the 1820s; they are actually 1/5 cuts rather than 1/4 cuts. True quarter cuts like this one are rare today. Ex. Pridmore (Glendining's, September 1981, Lot 294) to Edward Roehrs; Dix, Noonan, and Webb's sale of the Roehrs Collection, September 2010, Lot 255). This comes with a Pridmore ticket ... for a different coin - a very similar 1798 Dominican Three Bitts with which it was once confused. ... Sold

A Mexican Eight Reales, Regulated in America in the 17th Century and lost aboard the HMS Feversham

Mexico / Massachusetts. Cob eight reales of Phillip IV, P Assayer (ca. 1634-65). Fine or so, lightly granular from its time in the waters off Nova Scotia. 20.98 grams, 324.0 grains. Boldly plugged atop the cross and shield to bring the weight up to standard, probably at 17 or 17.5 pennyweights (this is presently 13.5 dwts, but it undoubtedly lost some of its weight while underwater). The surfaces are a mottled dark gray, a little darker in areas. The surfaces are not badly corroded, just a bit granular. A large natural planchet rift at 9:00 seems to have encouraged some light clipping in that area. This was likely plugged to the standards set by the Massachusetts Bay Colony ca. 1685-1701. It was lost aboard the HMS Feversham near Cape Breton Island after leaving New York in October 1711. Feversham was a warship on its way to attack Quebec. Before departing, it took on a deposit of £569 12s 5d from the local New York treasury office. Most were cobs, but hundreds of pieces of Massachusetts silver were also found, suggesting the economic impact of the coins of Massachusetts Bay. This particular piece hit the market in the 1999 Stack's Americana sale as part of a consignment from the current divers (Lot 1190). More recently, it's from the Roehrs Collection, sold by DNW in September 2010 as Lot 340. As the earliest known American regulated coins, they hold special historical import. They are also the natural extension of a Massachusetts silver series. I wish I had a dozen more to sell. ... Sold

New Orleans Coin Find relic. 1841-O Quarter. Doubled die obverse. Uncirculated, in a technical sense, though stained. Some hints of luster remain, though mostly dulled by its time in the ground. No marks or damage, dark toning at rims yields to pigeon-flecked light silver gray with areas of charcoal. According to Breen, the hoard was discovered in the French Quarter of New Orleans, October 29, 1982, during excavations at the foundation site of the new Meridien Hotel. There were literally thousands of silver coins, the vast majority of which were struck in Central and South America. Hundreds of Seated Liberty quarters also appeared, the last dated 1842. See Breen Encyclopedia p.346 (or other sources) for more of the story. A fascinating relic...Sold

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