Undated (1787) Connecticut Copper. Obverse Brockage. Miller Obverse 40, W-4225 to 4230, for type. Draped Bust Left, AUCTOPI. VF-35 (PCGS).

124.7 grains. With this striking error, we have the pleasure of revisiting "the most remarkable error among the [Ted] Craige Connecticuts, a full obverse brockage of Miller 40, one of the most distinctive in the series," as we began our 2012 presentation of this piece when we sold the remaining portions of the Craige estate. The facts remain the same today. The 2012 description continued, the obverse is deep chestnut brown with medium brown high points over finely granular surfaces. The 'reverse' is smoother mahogany brown. A curved mint clip is present at 5 o'clock. A tiny planchet flaw is visible atop the obverse. Between AU of AUCTOPI on the not-brockage side, an incuse (as-struck) E manifests, all alone, which your cataloger is powerless to explain. The reverse is a full boldly impressed brockage, a little soft at top but showing a full portrait and complete, crisp legends. Oddly, someone has re-engraved the eye on the brockage side, really the only post-mint defect. A fascinating and very rare piece, distinctive even among the rarefied air of Connecticut brockages for this major variety obverse, surely bound for an advanced collection. One point of clarification comes from the publishing of Randy Clark's reference on this subject since the time of our January 2013 sale. The incuse E is simply a die clash that is known to have occurred at some point during the striking of the 40-kk.1 marriage, the first of two known for this obverse. As such, ascertaining which marriage was being struck when this brockage error happened remains a mystery. Lightly written on the old Craige envelope, "RP [Richard Picker] promised for trade w/o Brockage," though it is unclear if such an action materialized, or which direction the brockage would be going in such an exchange.

From our sale of the Ted L. Craige Collection, January 2013, lot 11255; our sale of the Sydney F. Martin Collection, Part V, November 2023 Auction, lot 1241.

Estimate: $750