Lot 52
1785 Nova Constellatio. Pointed rays. PCGS graded EF-40. Medium to dark brown in color and nicely struck and preserved. A popular and important colonial issue.
Estimated Value $700-800.

Lot 53
1785 Nova Constellatio. Pointed rays. Sharpness of EF-40 but porous and a small rim cut. Well struck on the devices, but we note a small area of corrosion on the obverse edge right of the date. There is also a small notch cut out of the edge, and perhaps this was used as a gun site. Colonial Americans being a thrifty sort, they used whatever they could find to serve their purpose, in this case a round metal object would do well if a small notch was cut at the rim.
Estimated Value $250-350.

Lot 54
1785 Immune Columbia. George III obverse. SEGS graded Fine-12"Corroded" and "*" holder. Dark patina in the fields with lighter copper on the devices and lettering. As always seen on this issue, the planchet was a touch small and the tops of the date are all that show. There is a rough area noted in the right obverse field. Breen notes that this coin was struck around May to July of 1789. While not the most perfect surfaces, this is a rare coin which is seldom offered at all, and never in nice condition. Note that PCGS has not graded any of this issue, confirming the rarity. Breen-1000 per his Encyclopedia with the spelling Ceorcivs III. Rex as the "G" punch was broken or missing at the time the dies were engraved.
Estimated Value $2,500-3,500.
Purchased from the CCCC annual auction a few years ago and from the Paul Arthur Norris Collection.

Lot 56
1787 Massachusetts Cent. Arrows in left talon. PCGS graded AU-55. A condition rarity in this grade. Toned a dark chocolate brown and very sharp, with no signs of weakness, and the surfaces are absolutely problem free. PCGS has graded only 4 as such, with 1 higher in the brown category, and a single mint state coin is reported in the red and brown category at the top for this variety. An exciting specimen for the specialist who demands copper coins as perfect as they can be found.
Estimated Value $1,500-2,000.

Lot 59
1788 Massachusetts Cent. Period after "Massachusetts". PCGS graded AU-58. Lightly circulated and toned a light to medium brown color. This one is sharp, with strong details on the Indian and CENT and the shield are all sharp. Trivial handling marks in the fields, but they are not distracting.
Estimated Value $1,500-2,000.

Lot 60
1788 Massachusetts Cent. Period after "Massachusetts". PCGS graded VF-30. This example has the open "S"s and was struck at Wetherle's Mint, with dies by Callender (Breen). Medium brown in color and well struck on the devices. We note streaks in the planchet on the obverse, mostly near the right edge, and are not that detracting. A well balanced example of this Important Colonial issue.
Estimated Value $450-500.
From the Paul Arthur Norris Collection.

Lot 61
1785 Connecticut. African head, Miller 4.1-F.4. PCGS graded EF-40. One of the finest graded of this popular variety. The devices are well struck and the coin has nice brown toning on the obverse, while the reverse has thick red patina over brown. PCGS has graded 2 as such, with 2 higher as AU-50, and the finest they've seen is AU-53. A rare and desirable item, and one that is seldom found in grades even approaching this.
Estimated Value $1,500-2,000.

Lot 62
1787 Connecticut, M-13-D. ACG graded AU-50 our grade Sharpness of AU, but corroded. There is a small area of red corrosion on the lower left obverse, and other traces of corrosion can be seen with a glass. Struck slightly off center, but sharp on most of the devices. A coin to be inspected by prospective buyers.
Estimated Value $500-550.

Lot 63
1787 Connecticut. Mailed bust facing left. PCGS graded EF-45. Reddish brown in color and generally clean for the grade. These were all poorly struck on the upper device details, but the lettering and device outlines are all as clear as ever found.
Estimated Value $600-800.

Lot 64
1787 Connecticut. Mailed bust facing left, laughing head variety, Miller 6.2, R-4. 92.0 grains. PCGS graded AU-55. One of the finest graded of this variety, this one with dark brown toning on both sides and generally problem free. We do note the surfaces are slightly rough on both sides, and there is some raised red patina on the upper reverse. Sharply impressed by the dies, and this variety is much scarcer than the Miller 6.1 laughing head variety. A similar example graded AU-50, but of the more common Miller 6.1 Laughing Head variety brought $3,450 in the March 2000 Bowers & Merena sale.
Estimated Value $3,000-3,500.

Lot 65
1787 Connecticut. Draped bust facing left. PCGS graded EF-40. Far better than normally encountered, the surfaces are medium brown and the devices are fairly sharp. No troubling spots or corrosion to be found. Few Connecticut cents look this nice! A perfect collector coin in grade and surfaces.
Estimated Value $650-850.

Lot 66
1787 Connecticut. Draped bust facing left, "CONNFC" variety, M-33.37-Z.9. PCGS graded EF-40. One of the few graded of this variety, we note dark brown fields and lighter devices. Sharp and well struck, with a small fissure through the obverse planchet, as struck. PCGS has graded 1 this high, with 1 a notch above, and the finest is AU-53 currently. Not many to go around of this rare die combination.
Estimated Value $700-900.

Lot 67
1787 Connecticut. Draped bust facing left, "ETLIR" variety. PCGS graded EF-45. One of the finest graded of this variety, and PCGS has only seen two graded XF45, with a single coin graded higher as AU-55 of the ETLIR variety. The planchet here is very choice, and the color is just about perfect too, being a light brown throughout, with no spots or similar problems to be found.
Estimated Value $750-1,000.

Lot 68
"1747" Machin's Mills Copper Halfpenny. SEGS graded VF-30 "*" holder, "Uniform Corrosion". Dark brown in color with corrosion over the obverse and reverse, but even enough in color and not as distracting as it might sound. Well struck by the dies, with the date and devices all bold. One of the first of the Machin's Mills coins, this one has King George II on the obverse (facing left), while later issues show King George III facing right.
This is one of the scarce Mould-Atlee "Tory Coppers" produced at Mould's Mint located at 32 Williams Street, New York City. They have been punch linked to Walter Mould and thus to the Constellatio Nova coppers. Mould was a pupil of Thomas Wyon, the famous British coiner, and Mould emigrated to America in 1785. After Mould arrived in America, he pieced together a living coining imitation British halfpence (the "Bungtown coppers" or more recently "Tory coppers"). Although there were no legal penalties for making these light weight coppers, Mould likely kept his enterprise a secret, as he was trying to land more lucrative and legitimate work of making coins for various states in the Confederation.
Estimated Value $1,000-1,500.
From the Paul Arthur Norris Collection.

Lot 69
1787 Nova Eborac. Figure facing right. PCGS graded AU-50. This is Breen-989. Light brown in color and well preserved, although we note the planchet is not quite perfectly smooth, it is certainly far better than most copper encountered from the period. Struck slightly off center on the obverse towards one o'clock, with the obverse lettering weak in areas and some of the tops of the letters are off the edge. The male figure is reasonably sharp, and the curious domed hair is a copy from the earlier Connecticut coins. Clean surfaces and a very choice specimen for the grade. PCGS has graded only a single coin in this category, with 2 higher, one each in the next higher AU grades, according to that service. An important offering which would be difficult to best.
These were struck by John Bailey probably in the summer of 1787 at his mint in New York City and possibly in the Ogden and Rindell mint in Elizabeth Town, New Jersey, and they have been punch linked by Breen to the famous Brasher coinage. The motto, VIRT. ET LIB. is Latin for "strength and freedom".
Estimated Value $2,000-2,500.

Lot 71
1787 New Jersey. Shield outlined, Maris 39-A. PCGS graded AU-53. Light tan in color with a pleasing appearance on the obverse, the reverse on a slightly rough planchet, with trivial flaws seen mostly near the edge. A sharply struck coin, with full details on the horse and plow, and the shield is also very bold. Identifiable by an ancient thin line from the shield through the lower left serif of the E of E PLURIBUS to the rim. Die cracks at the center of the shield, as the dies were starting to break down from use. A very nice type example of this important colonial issue which is seldom found this nice, and often much worse in grade.
Estimated Value $1,200-1,500.

Lot 73
1788 New Jersey Copper. Horse's head facing left, Maris 50-F. PCGS graded VF-20. This is one of the scarce Goadsby issues, thought to have been struck very early in 1788. The surfaces are rough, perhaps as much in the original planchet (typical) as from subsequent events. Dark brown in color and pleasing otherwise in appearance. The strike is sharp, and the date is full and complete as this example is unusually well centered. PCGS has graded only 10 of this variety, 9 between the grades of VG-VF, and a single coin higher as EF-45, and the Finest Known mint state Garrett coin apparently hasn't been graded yet.
New Jersey coppers came to be from the efforts of Matthias Ogden, the Revolutionary War hero. As Breen notes, Ogden came under the common delusion that striking coins would make you rich. He joined forces with three men, Albion Cox, Thomas Goadsby and Walter Mould. Ogden saw to it that the necessary state legislation was passed, and was soon embroiled in the usual partnership problems of distrust and arguments. This particular coin was made by Thomas Goadsby, with equipment seized from the defunct Rahway mint. In a few years, this copper coinage experiment folded with most of the participants either fleeing to other states or in jail to avoid creditors.
The horse head facing left are all scarce, with only a couple of die pairings used. Draped in a rich history, all such state coinage is highly collectible, and seldom offered.
Estimated Value $2,500-3,000.
From the Paul Arthur Norris Collection.

Lot 74
1785 Vermont. "Vermonts", RR-2. PCGS graded VF-25. Dark brown and olive surfaces from minor roughness. Sharply impressed with all the trees, sun and mountains well defined, as well as the plow below. A scarce variety and is always in strong demand, especially in a decent collector grade like this.
Estimated Value $1,400-1,600.

Lot 75
1785 Vermont. "Vermonts", RR-2. VF-25 porous. This is the scarcest of the three major landscape design Vermonts. As often found on copper, the surfaces are uniformly porous and there are a few planchet fissures on each side. Evenly worn and well struck, the important design elements are all sharp and well defined. The reverse is particularly well struck, with the all seeing eye and glory rays and stars bold.
Estimated Value $1,100-1,300.

Lot 76
1786 Vermont Copper. "Vermontensium", Ryder-6. PCGS graded AU-55 "Benson". Obverse with seven trees, ray points between ES. U of PUBLICA sharply recut low, diagnostic of this obverse. One of the very finest graded of this variety, PCGS in their Population Report note 4 graded this high, with just a single coin graded higher, that a thin hair above at AU-58. No mint state coins have yet been graded. Further, most of those seen grade from VG to VF, and these are frequently found on less than perfect planchets. On this particular example we note a few minor planchet flaws, one on the edge above NS of VERMONTENSIUM, another on the reverse edge above the M of DECIMA. Toned a natural chocolate brown in color, with darker areas noted around the trees. The strike on and around the plow is particularly nice, and the fields and surfaces are very nice for the grade. Localized striking weakness is noted on ENSIUM and on the opposing areas of the reverse. The central reverse all seeing eye is sharp, and the coin is well centered. An impressive example of this important variety that is certain to attract many appreciative numismatists who would find it a welcome addition to their collections.
The Latin obverse legend of VERMONTENSIUM RES PUBLICA translates to "the Republic of the Green Mountains" (Ryder/Slafter) and the obverse device was to consist of "A sun rising, with mountains and trees in the foreground, and a plough in the field beneath." while the reverse device had to have "A radiated eye, surrounded by thirteen stars" and the legend QUARTA. DECIMA. STELLA. or the fourteenth star, referring to Vermonts desire to become the next state after the original thirteen colonies joined to form the United States. This did come pass, but not until 1791 when Vermont officially became the 14th state to join the union.
After the necessary legislation and authorization, the bond requirements were met and suitable lodgings for the coinage we procured, Reuben Harmon began coinage in earnest. Reports vary, but it has been suggested that the coining equipment obtained could strike as many as 60 pieces per minute, although usually half that number were coined using the screw press (Ryder/Slafter). An historic example of this precious state coinage made during the brief tenure after the Revolution, but prior to the Vermont joining the other states officially in the Union.
Estimated Value $5,000-6,000.
From the Paul Arthur Norris Collection and purchased from our Benson I Collection Sale, 2/2001:80.