Undated (ca. 1652-1674) St. Patrick Farthing. Martin 3b.1-Eb.3, W-11500. Rarity-7+. Copper. Sea Beasts Below King, Masonic Punctuation. VF-35 (PCGS).

89.4 grains. Gorgeous rich olive-copper patina with areas of lighter autumn-brown that are most prominent on the high points. Obverse impression off center to 4 o'clock, that on the reverse to 6 o'clock, but only the border denticulation is significantly impacted; the detail is otherwise bold to sharp throughout. A trace of surface roughness and microporosity in the centers hardly detracts. This exceedingly rare die pairing is represented by just three coins in the Martin census, the finest of which is an EF-40. It is unclear whether or not that is the PCGS EF-40 that sold in our November 2020 sale of the E Pluribus Unum Collection, lot 4031. Regardless, the present example, with some claim to an EF grade itself, is arguably the finest specimen of this Martin number - it is certainly nicer in your cataloger's (JLA's) opinion than the EPU coin, which was softer and far more porous through the centers. A find for the specialist.

PCGS# 915341. NGC ID: AUAR.

To view supplemental information and all items from the Sydney F. Martin Collection, click https://stacksbowers.com/sydney-f-martin-collection

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Heritage's sale of the Denis Ridings Collection, February 2003 Long Beach Signature Sale, lot 5007; Jim LaSarre, December 2009. The obverse and reverse plate coin for this die pairing in the 2018 Martin reference on St. Patrick coinage, pp. 123 and 302, respectively.