1787 Massachusetts Cent. Ryder 4-J, W-6120. Rarity-7. Arrows in Left Talon. VF-25 (NGC).,149.5 grains. The Ryder 4-J die marriage was discovered only in the 1950s by our own Q. David Bowers, combining Ryders obverse 4 with the then newly discovered reverse J. This specimen was found by Dave following the publication of the discovery coin in <em>Empire Topics I </em>and sold into the Norweb Collection<em>. </em>This is one of only 5 specimens known to Massachusetts Copper maven Michael Packard, and is the Greco reverse plate specimen; it is also most probably the third finest known example, after the PCGS MS64RB in our (Stacks) July 2009 ANA Sale and Richard Augusts VF-EF specimen. Surfaces are a pleasing and even dark brown, with some scattered marks and a planchet irregularity noted through MM of COMMONWEALTH. An entire generation passed between the offering at auction of this coin in 1988 and its reappearance in 2015. Advanced collectors of Massachusetts copper coinage should revel in this second opportunity at this storied rarity after a hiatus of only 3 years!,From the Michael Demling Collection of Massachusetts Cents. Earlier ex Norweb Collection, purchased from Empire Coin Company (Dave Bowers) on September 5, 1958; Bowers and Merenas Sale of the Norweb Collection, Part 2, March 1988, lot 2655;Donald Groves Partrick Collection (Heritage, January 2015, lot 5706); Tony Terranova.<p>,