St. Patrick Farthing
Undated (ca. 1652-1674) St. Patrick Farthing or "Shilling". Martin 1d.1-Ba.11. Rarity-6+. Silver. AU-55+ (PCGS).
118.6 grains. A popular if enigmatic type, offered here in nearly unsurpassable grade. Attractive light silver gray with bold and pleasing toning of subtle gold and deep copper that deepens at the peripheries. Scattered minor marks are present, along with some old hairlines, but the overall impression is highly positive. A broad unstruck area is present outside of the denticles from 9:00 to 12:00 on the obverse, while the reverse is aligned nearly directly to 6:00. Some traces of natural luster persist in protected areas. This is perhaps the most frequently seen of the St. Patrick varieties known in silver, though as a class silver St. Patrick pieces are quite scarce. Syd Martin's census includes 41 silver St. Patrick farthings; nearly half (17) are from this die marriage. Most are well worn, and this example stands out for its sharpness of detail. Our most recent offering of a silver St. Pat's from these dies was in the November 2019 Baltimore Auction graded AU Detail, Repaired (PCGS). The finest certified (and likely finest known) St. Patrick farthing in silver, now graded MS-62, is the Ted Craige specimen, sold in our November 2012 sale for $80,500.
PCGS# 45.
PCGS Population: 1; 1 finer (MS-62).
From the E Pluribus Unum Collection.
Estimate: $1500