1785 (ca. 1864) Higley / Confederatio Cent, Large Stars Muling. Dies by John Adams Bolen. Musante JAB M/E-13, Kenney14, W-14580. Copper. MS-63 BN (NGC).30.1 mm. Glossy chocolate brown surfaces are uniform throughout save for some superficial spotting at the lower reverse.<p>Though both dies were cut by Bolen, in 1863 and 1864, they were sold to Dr. Edwards who had them for perhaps a year before his passing in 1865. It is uncertain who made mulings such as this, but Dr. Edwards has been suggested. Both dies exhibit efforts to deface them, but who did that is also uncertain. It is possible that Bolen did it himself before they were sold to Edwards (as suggested by the 1868 <em>AJN</em> listing), or that someone else (including possibly Bolen) "canceled" them after Edwards died. It is unlikely that Edwards would have done so, as he is not known to have been the sort of person who might be concerned about the product of copy dies being mistaken for a genuine original.<p>Whatever the case, all these mulings are rare, and it has generally been estimated that perhaps only five or so were struck of any of them. That seems like a conservative number based on appearances, and 10 might be more in order. Pieces struck from copy dies featuring the classic rarities of the colonial era enjoy strong demand, and there are certainly far fewer extant than the market would like. This muling was not in the 2011 Bowers offering, but the Musante Collection did include one.From the Claremont Collection. Earlier from Heritages sale of the Dr. Peter Jones M.D. Collection, October 2020 Signature Auction, lot 7035.
