  Buy a nice Pillar dollar from Le Auguste, certified by PCGS, for...$395 |
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. PCGS certified this as genuine based on the flaws in the planchet (code 93), particularly noticeable at the profile. As flawed as the planchet may be, this is as extremely sharp, barely worn, 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...$1450
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...$1475
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...$875
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...$275
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...$1275
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...$1250
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...$2250
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...$1150
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...$975
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...Hold
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
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...$350
"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...$465
(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
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...$1450
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...Hold
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...$1995
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
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...Hold
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
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...$1100
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...$1350
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...$550
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...Hold
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...$1250
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 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...Hold
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
(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...$1750
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
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...$325
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
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...$1175
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
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...$1200
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
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...$925
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
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...$365
Choice EF 1785 Nova Constellatio copper
1785 Nova Constellatio copper. Crosby 3-B. Script US, Pointed Rays. Extremely Fine. Glossy medium brown with excellent visual appeal. A little area of darker toning is present left of US, single spot on the reverse, two minuscule rim ticks near 5:00 on the obverse would be invisible in most slabs and are barely visible here. This is one of those types that any collection of early American coins should have represented in some grade, as they exist from junk to Unc. (If you want a low grade / beat up one, email me, as I have a few.) Mint State pieces are nice, but they tend to sell in the $3000 and up range and some aren't all that original. This one shows strong originality and a little wear...$900
1787 Nova Eborac copper. Breen-986. Figure Seated Left. Choice Very Fine. Lovely tan with smooth, glossy surfaces. Problem free, with no clips, fissures, bad marks, or rim nicks. Slightly misaligned on the obverse, as often seen. A high quality example, separated from the crowd of granular or otherwise flawed specimens that are typically encounted...$765
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...$850
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...$1450
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
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...$2450
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