1785 Connecticut Copper. Miller 3.5-B, W-2350. Rarity-5-. Bust Right. AU-55 (PCGS).

146.7 grains. An extraordinary example of this scarce variety, a coin that blows away all others seen. Frosty reddish chocolate-brown, the mint surface subdued but almost fully intact with substantial frosty luster in the fields and just light rub on the high points of the devices. The are no contact marks or roughness of any consequence, just a few thin planchet striations on the reverse and some barely noticeable ones running horizontally on the obverse effigy. None really do any harm to the overall excellent eye appeal. Nicely struck from a somewhat advanced state of the dies. Perfectly centered on the obverse while the reverse is just slightly off center toward 6 o'clock affecting just the very bottom of the date digits. The late die state results in some bumpy texture in the fields due to die wear, but not much weakening of the detail as the legends, motifs, and date are still sharp and clear. Again, the overall appearance is quite impressive -- for this, or any variety. A quick survey of our auction archives, which includes several advanced Connecticut copper collections, will demonstrate just how vastly superior this example is. The median grade of the couple dozen examples there is Fine to Very Fine, most with some degree of planchet flaws or roughness. Looking further to the great Connecticut cabinets of the last several decades, Ford's was a granular Very Fine, Perkins' a flawed VF-EF, Taylor had a flawed and unevenly struck EF, and the 1975 EAC Sale coin a fairly pleasing Choice Very Fine. The recent Partrick specimen, ex Massachusetts Historical Society and Taylor's secondary example, was graded NGC VF-35, called Condition Census, and realized $1,680. This one, appearing at auction for the first time, is in a whole different class and represents an exciting opportunity for the specialist to own an unsurpassable example of these dies.

PCGS# 685158.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex Anthony Terranova Collection, January 2012.