Undated (ca. 1652-1674) St. Patrick Farthing. Martin 1c.5-Ba.4, W-11520. Rarity-7+. Silver. Nothing Below King. Fine-15 (PCGS).

94.7 grains. Nice smooth medium silver-gray, very pleasant in color and appearance. A little granular on the reverse, a few trivial marks scattered about, rim cut at 1 o'clock relative to obverse, only the most minor hairlines. Well struck and ideally centered with full legends and punctuation, just a bit worn confirming the Fine assessment from PCGS. All in all, a good-looking example of this classic rarity. Different dies than any of the Norweb, Roper, Oeschsner, Picker, Boyd-Ford or Steinberg coins. Before acquiring this piece in 2012, Syd Martin only had this die pairing in copper. In his 2018 census, he recorded just three examples of 1c.5-Ba.4 in silver, to which can be added a fourth that appeared in a December 2018 Heritage auction. Although showing slightly less detail, this one is immeasurably finer than the PCGS VF Details--Holed specimen that realized $5,280 in our April 2023 Sydney F. Martin Collection sale.

PCGS# 915272. NGC ID: 2U3S.

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From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex John J. Ford, Jr./New Netherlands Coin Company, July 29, 1970; Ted L. Craige; our sale of the Ted L. Craige Collection, November 2012 Baltimore Auction, lot 6149.