1788 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Rt, Sml Head, BN MS(PCGS#400)

Spring 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2022

等级

F12BN

价格

44,099

详细说明

Exceptionally nice for this scare and challenging die pairing, both sides exhibit dominant orange-brown color with deeper olive-copper patina in some of the field areas, especially on the obverse. That side of the coin is aligned to 12 o'clock, upper border from 9 to 2 o'clock into the tops of the design elements, minor flan flaw out of the way in the latter area. The portrait is sufficiently bold for the grade and also despite some softness from the typically seen die swell at left. Reverse rotated a little more than 90 degrees clockwise from coin alignment, more heavily buckled and with little central detail, although the periphery shows some portion of each letter. Light pitting and a few trivial marks are more prevalent on the reverse, obverse smother overall, both sides with some nice gloss that adds to the considerable eye appeal of this piece.<p>The RR-39 variety is scarce and subject to intense demand from collectors of Vermont, Connecticut and Machin's Mills coppers. Though intensely prized by three distinct groups it is not excessively rare in an absolute sense. Tony Carlotto assigned a Rarity-5 rating in his 1998 reference on Vermont coppers and admits that it is "not as rare as most believe. A small group of people each owns multiple specimens, of which I am one of the guilty." The 2018 reference on this series by Q. David Bowers suggests that 33 to 64 examples survive, which is consistent with Carlotto's assessment from 20 years earlier, although with a few more having surfaced since then a Rarity-5- rating is more appropriate today. Even so, the supply remains limited and falls far short of the demand, with nice examples such as this seldom offered publicly. This is a very satisfying survivor indeed that is sure to see significant interest and intense bidding.