1788 Massachusetts Cent. Ryder 11-C, W-6290. Rarity-5. EF-40 (PCGS).140.3 grains. Attractive medium brown with faint undertones of deeply faded tan in the woodgrain striations seen on both sides. A trace of gentle porosity is noted, as typical, but the surfaces are mostly smooth and quite glossy. Commensurate with the grade, a few minor marks are scattered about including a few tiny ones at the rim, the most visible being just left of the date. A fairly tough variety to find in higher grades, as most tend to be Fine or Very Fine, and frequently with problems. Though graded five points lower by PCGS than the recently sold Michael Demling coin, this coin is certainly superior. While it may be just trivially less sharp than the Demling coin (and this is debatable), the surfaces are far nicer on the present specimen.From the Twin Leaf Collection of Connecticut & Massachusetts Coppers. Earlier ex Bowers and Merena, November 2001:2103; Bowers and Merena, March 2003:211.
