1786 Vermont copper. Landscape. Ryder-6, W-2020. Rarity-3. VERMONTENSIUM. MS-63+ BN (PCGS).133.4 grains. An extraordinary piece, a fully Mint State Vermont Landscape with ideal centering and a complete, sharp strike. The obverse is resoundingly well struck, with a full frame of denticles surrounding it and some unstruck area beyond the border at upper left. The central devices show every intricate detail, and only a trivial fissure at NT of VERMONTENSIUM might count as a flaw. A dark area at the bases of IC of REPUBLICA is just toning from a surface impurity, one that blends into the highly lustrous and mottled surfaces. Most of the obverse is light brown with a woodgrain of orange and rose, faded from mint color, prominent in the central fields, all covered in thick glossy frost. The reverse is just as sharp, just as well centered, and just as thoroughly frosty, with a blend of light brown, peach, and darker brown tones near DECIMA and STELLA that suggest the impurities beneath the surface. A trivial fissure is noted left and below Q of QUARTA. <p>Though Ryder-6 is perhaps the most common Vermont Landscape variety, it is very rare in any grade above EF; in fact, even a well centered and decently struck EF is a pretty significant prize. The best Ryder-6 in Ryder’s own collection was Ford I:19, a lustrous Choice AU that was graded Choice EF and brought Choice AU money, at least for 2003. It was neither as high grade nor as well centered as this one, but it was a spectacularly pretty coin. The Eliasberg coin (Bowers and Merena, May 1996, Lot 63) is beautiful and generally accorded “finest known” honors. Depending upon who is viewing, one might say this one is in the Eliasberg coin’s league, or that the Eliasberg coin is in this one’s.PCGS Population: 1, none finer.From the Archangel Collection. Earlier, from Stack’s 1976 American Numismatic Association sale, August 1976, lot 40; the collection of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
