1787 Nova Eborac Copper. W-5755, Breen-986. Rarity-3. Medium Bust, Seated Figure Left. MS-64+ BN (PCGS).
133.8 grains. One of the finest known examples of not only this type, but the entire Nova Eborac coinage. Glossy medium brown with abundant faded mint color around the obverse periphery. Superb eye appeal is uniform on both sides, and the central devices show simply exquisite detail in places like the obverse portrait's hair and the reverse figure's drapery. The obverse is aligned trivially to 12 o'clock, the reverse better centered but a bit soft at top. A natural low spot is seen in the obverse field in front of the portrait's chin, and some scattered hairlines are seen on the obverse. The presence of a few gold-tinted flecks on the obverse suggests that some old lacquer might remain, likely removable but inert at worst. The overall aesthetic impression is superb, as would be expected by both the grade and the fine old provenance. The only finer examples of the Medium Head variety (with either reverse) graded by PCGS are the Norweb-Partrick coin (MS-66 BN) and the remarkable Newman coin (MS-64+ RB). We sold the Newman coin in our November 2019 sale for $48,000. While there is a small gathering of lower end Mint State examples of the Nova Eborac type, many (even most) show soft strikes, granular surfaces, poor originality, or all of the above. Though the Nova Eborac coinage was unofficial, the mintage was clearly fairly large. It's surprising there aren't more nice ones around, but there just plain aren't.
PCGS# 478. PCGS Population: 1; 1 finer (MS-66 BN finest).
From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from New York Coin and Stamp Company’s sale of the Lorin G. Parmelee Collection, June 1890, lot 461; Hillyer Ryder to F.C.C. Boyd; F.C.C. Boyd estate to John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack’s) sale of the Ford Collection, Part II, May 2004, lot 298; Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006.

Estimate: $17500