1724/3 Rosa Americana Pattern Penny. Martin 3.2-G.1, W-1294. Copper. Rarity-8+. DEI GRATIA. Specimen-15 (PCGS).

125.7 grains. A well known rarity in the Rosa Americana series ever since it was plated in Crosby's 1875 The Early Coins of America. A member of the 1724/3 DEI GRATIA Red Book type, of which there are just three examples known, but really in a class of its own as a unique die pair, unique composition for the 1724/3 date, and unique obverse style for the denomination. This is a well circulated piece but has eye appeal and surface quality in excess of its technical grade. Nicely struck on a somewhat broad planchet. Glossy chocolate-brown with darker brown in the recesses of the design and protected areas of the fields. The color and contrast allow all of the major detail to stand out boldly and gives the coin a lovely appearance. Glossy and problem-free, with just a few minute rim bumps and edge flaws, and trivial roughness in the reverse fields. A distinctive obverse die that although it is a part of Martin group 3 based on punctuation alongside the standard 3.1 obverse, the style of the king's portrait is markedly different and comparable to the pattern varieties of the 4.1-H.1 silver halfpenny, 3.13-G.1 twopence, both offered elsewhere in this sale, as well as some of the Wood's Hibernia patterns such as the 2.1-E.1 Star Before Date halfpenny. Best classed as a pattern, but the standard layout of the motifs and well circulated condition make this coin appear more as a circulation strike, which as a great rarity makes it even more appealing in some ways. A wonderful piece with incredible provenance. One lucky bidder will get to add their name to this illustrious pedigree chain and be the proud custodian of this charming and supremely rare specimen.

PCGS# 905767.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex S.H. and H. Chapman's sale of the Charles I. Bushnell, Esq. Collection, June 1882, lot 221 (plated); New York Coin & Stamp Co.'s sale of the Lorin G. Parmelee Collection, June 1890, lot 552; S.H. and H. Chapman; S.H. and H. Chapman's sale of the John G. Mills, Esq. Collection, April 1904, lot 91 (plated); Col. James W. Ellsworth Collection; our (Bowers and Ruddy's) sale of the Garrett Collection, Part III, October 1980, lot 1246; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part IX, May 2005, lot 183. Plated in Sylvester S. Crosby "The Early Coins of America" Plate IV, no. 15. Obverse plated in the Martin reference "The Rosa Americana Coinage of William Wood," p. 186.