Undated (ca. 1652-1674) St. Patrick Farthing. Martin 3b.2-Fc.3, W-11500. Rarity-7-. Copper. Sea Beasts Below King, Masonic Punctuation. EF Details--Environmental Damage (PCGS). 83.5 grains. A lovely grounder, with exceptionally sharp devices and an attractive jade green patina. Well centered and problem free but for the encrustation and light granularity. <p><p>We described this piece in the 1983 Roper sale as "the variety with the large crescent-shaped die break above and to the left of Saint Patrick - the so-called moon in the sky variety. A somewhat crude planchet with irregular edges and some light verdigris and porosity. No sign of a splasher and some minor weakness at EBS. Better than we make it sound, and certainly very interesting."<p><p>Among the oodles of varieties of St. Patrick farthings, eye-catching ones like this are particularly fun to collect, adding easily distinguishable characteristics among the morass of punctuation styles and other minutiae. There is no missing the "moon in the sky" on this one! PCGS# 915344. From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Stacks) sale of the John L. Roper, 2nd Collection, December 1983, lot 67.
