High Grade Oak Tree Sixpence
Ex Picker
1652 Oak Tree Sixpence. Noe-22, Salmon 2b-B, W-400. Rarity-5. IN on Obverse. AU-55 (PCGS).
33.2 grains. From our August 2023 Syd Martin sale, where we described this as: "an excellent piece, well struck and centered with both peripheral legends fully on the planchet. Warm, even steel-gray patina with a hint of olive and, when viewed at direct lighting angles, subtle antique gold and powder blue undertones. In addition to undeniable originality, the surfaces also offer superior preservation with hardly any blemishes and much frosty luster in evidence. A lone scuff above the first letter A in MASATHVSETS is mentioned solely as an identification mark. "This is about as nice as this variety comes. The primary Boyd-Ford coin, variously called 'Choice Extremely Fine' and 'MS-63 PCGS,' was a very nice coin. It was later ex David M. Sundman, and is also the Salmon plate coin. The very oval Boyd-Ford duplicate was also lovely, and has also been certified MS-63 by PCGS in the modern market. Norweb's was graded AU-55 by 1987 standards and deserves to be in the conversation, as does the Henry P. Kendall Foundation specimen certified AU-58 by PCGS in our March 2015 sale, and the primary Hain coin (ex 1991 Picker duplicates sale) was likewise very nice. The very high grade Partrick coin is an oddball, struck on a tight thick planchet rather than the usual broad thin planchet. It realized $117,500 when offered as a NGC MS-66 * in Heritage's January 2015 FUN Signature Auction. This variety has been absent in some well considered cabinets, including Garrett and Hawn, and found only in lower grades in others, like Roper. The completeness of the design, undeniable originality and superb eye appeal would make the Picker-Martin specimen offered here an ideal representative for either type or variety purposes."
PCGS# 914810.
From our (Stack's) sale of the Richard Picker Collection, October 1984, lot 13; later, Ron Guth, via Roger Siboni as agent, January 2017; our sale of the Sydney F. Martin Collection, Part IV, August 2023, lot 8160.