Undated (1717) Pre-Patent Rosa Americana Pattern Penny. Martin 1-B, W-1204. Rarity-7-. With Branches. Specimen-40 (PCGS).

114.0 grains. An attractive lightly circulated specimen of the more available variety of the pre-patent Rosa Americana coinage, yet a coin still known by only a dozen or so examples. Smooth, problem-free medium brown surfaces with pale brassy color in the fields. Nicely struck and just lightly worn on the high points, the entirety of the design still fully and boldly appreciable. Syd acquired this coin in our January 2001 Americana Sale where it was described as being from the Philip Nelson Collection. We can deduce it later belonged to Hillyer Ryder based on the December 11, 1913 purchase date and the "small, annotated collectors' ticket" said to accompany the coin, though it is no longer present. The date and provenance chain matches many Rosa Americana pieces that went from Nelson to Ryder and later to Boyd and Ford, but this piece did not appear in the Ford sale. This charming coin sits somewhere in the middle of the census of 12 to 13 examples and offers well above average eye appeal.

PCGS# 905763.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex Philip Nelson Collection, December 11, 1913; Hillyer Ryder; our (Stack's) January 2001 Americana Sale, lot 43.