1792 Washington President. Legend Reverse. Musante GW-35, Baker-59, W-10690. Copper. Plain Edge. VF Details--Attempted Piercing (PCGS).178.5 grains. Deep chestnut-brown surfaces appear glossy and unmarked to the unassisted eye, and are not far off that standard under low magnification despite a few ticks here and there. Attempted puncture above Washingtons portrait. Some lightness of strike is seen at the reverse center at the letter IG in RESIGNED, not an unusual occurrence in die combinations that employ this reverse (on the Washington Born Virginia die pairing, for instance). First reverse die, date numerals below CAN A in the legend. Recognized as a rare item for decades among "colonial" specialists and fanciers of Washingtoniana, this important type is found "usually in low grades" according to Breens 1988 emEncyclopedia/em, where he places this rarity in his catch-all "Hancocks Multi-Denominational Patterns (1792)" category. The Bowers-Whitman colonial coin encyclopedia (2009) gives this type a Universal Rarity Scale (URS) rating of URS-6, suggesting that some two to three dozen examples may be known to todays collecting community. Of those known specimens, numerous pieces are in far lesser condition than the presently offered piece. Take away this coins attempted puncture and you are presented, no doubt, with one of the finer examples in existence. Bidders will decide the fate -- and value -- of the present piece, but were certain it will not be won without strong competition.From our sale of the Ted L. Craige Collection, January 2013, lot 11493.
