1788 Vermont Copper. RR-26, Bressett 16-T, W-2190. Rarity-5+. Bust Right. VG Details--Scratch (PCGS).

An appealing example of this challenging Vermont variety. Obverse detail is quite good with the word VERMON and the bust bold, right periphery soft, yet legible through most of AUCTORI. The reverse is softer overall, but most features are discernible and the overall design is appreciable. A bit granular with scattered pitting, glints of rose-orange near the centers interrupt otherwise dominant deep olive-copper patina. The PCGS qualifier concerns a few wispy scratches on the effigy's head, although these are easily overlooked in hand. RR-26 represents the first use of Bressett Obverse 16 in this series, the only die with a cross after VERMON and AUCTORI. All known examples are in an early obverse die state without the horn-like break at the effigy's neck that later becomes prominent in the RR-25 and, especially, RR-24 pairings. The bisecting crack on the reverse is always evident, suggesting that the die either cracked before striking or very early in the press run; in either case, this break resulted in the early retirement of the die, certainly after only a small number of coins were struck, explaining the rarity of examples.

PCGS# 563. NGC ID: 2B5D.

From the Norman G. Peters Collection. Collector envelope with attribution notation included.