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