Undated (ca. 1652-1674) St. Patrick Farthing. Martin 1c.35-Ab.1, W-11500. Rarity-8-. Copper. Halo Around Saint's Head. VF-35 (PCGS).
78.9 grains. A very choice example of the rare and significant "Halo" or "Nimbus" variety of St. Patrick farthing, characterized by the added reverse detail of a halo of rays emanating from both sides of the saint's mitre. Just two of the nearly 150 known farthing reverse dies display this feature, and these two dies are seen in three die combinations, all of which are extremely rare. Martin plated this coin in his reference as obverse 1c.36 which would be a fourth die combination, but it is in fact the same obverse die as 1c.35. 1c.36 should be delisted. The two Halo reverses, Aa.1 and Ab.1, together comprise Martin's reverse group A. As a major variety at PCGS and a Guide Book -listed type, the small number of Halo specimens see intense demand when offered for sale and realize strong prices regardless of grade as it is a necessary coin for the many collectors putting together the small yet challenging type set of St. Patrick coinage. The present coin is the finest graded of the entire Halo type at either service and undoubtedly one of the most aesthetically pleasing and technically sound specimens extant. It has glossy golden-brown surfaces with deeper color in the recesses around the detail. The splasher is perfectly centered on the crown and the entire strike was reasonably well centered on the planchet, just a little tight toward the bottom of each side but no detail is lost. The delicate halo feature, which on many examples is weak or missing due to wear and/or roughness, is here on bold display and easily visible even from a distance. The overall detail and eye appeal of this piece is outstanding. Plated in Breen's Encyclopedia to illustrate the Halo or "Nimbus" type. We are aware of just three copper examples of the 1c.35-Ab.1 die pair: the present Spiro-Norweb-Martin example; the Garrett:1384-Roper:58 coin which is sharper but described as porous and stained; and a rough PCGS VF Details piece we sold in March 2016 for $5,405. This attractive and well-pedigreed piece would make a superb addition to an advanced colonial type set.
PCGS# 902862.
From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Hans M.F. Schulman's sale of the Jacob N. Spiro Collection, March 1955, lot 1427; our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Norweb Collection Part II, March 1988, lot 2340; Heritage's January 2012 FUN Signature Auction, lot 3951.