1785 Machin's Mills CEORCIVS III REX / Immune Columbia Muling. Vlack 15-85NY, W-1995. Rarity-5+. EF-40 (PCGS).
122.5 grains. 160 degree die rotation. A positively superb example of this nonsensical muling, the whim of the moment struck by apathetic copper producers at Machin's Mills. Beautiful light brown with smooth surfaces, indicative of a high grade coin despite the striking failures and presence of decades of cabinet film. The obverse is aligned significantly left, with the tops of GEO off the planchet and a sizable unstruck area at right. The reverse centering loses most of MUNE, but COLUMBIA and the vital date are complete. Hints of frost or luster are projected in underlying areas, and the natural lines in the die behind the portrait remain clear and unworn. A single nearly vertical planchet fissure is barely noticeable from Columbia's outstretched wrist to the exergue, and some inherent planchet texture remains in the softly struck area atop the reverse. The eye appeal, for those who love the charm of productions like this one, is just superb. A beautiful, high grade, and fully provenanced example of great desirability. This is probably the best one of these around. Most of the 15 or so examples known are pretty wretched, but there are a few nice ones. The Norweb coin (sold in Partrick at NGC EF-40) is lovely and has an ideally centered obverse. Ford's was also top tier, and the Laird Park coin (offered in our (Bowers and Merena's) 2002 Logan and Steinberg sale) is also very nice. The Newman coin, VG-10 (NGC), was better than its grade suggests. Among all of these, it would be hard to contend that any were nicer than the offered one, and it seems clear to us that this is the best preserved of all. No other type better symbolizes the products of late-stage Machin's Mills, as their enterprise headed toward its demise. The obverse features the device of the Vermont coppers struck in Newburgh, with a misspelled legend that shows its intent to be used to produce counterfeit halfpence. The reverse is the old leftover Immune Columbia die, recycled in this period for use on this piece and the related Vermont Ryder-1. These come on lightweight, undersized planchets to maximize the profit potential. Most are close to concave, with planchet depressions and flaws that only a specialist could love. Very few were struck this well, preserved this nicely, or face up with such pleasant eye appeal.
PCGS# 835.
From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from S.H. and Henry Chapman's sale of the John G. Mills Collection, April 1904 lot 121; Robert Garrett; John Work Garrett; Johns Hopkins University; our (Bowers and Ruddy's) sale of the Garrett Collection, Part III, October 1980, lot 1336; Heritage's sale of the Donald G. Partrick Collection, January 2015, lot 5648.

Estimate: $45000