1785 Connecticut Copper. Miller 3.1-F.3, W-2320. Rarity-7. Mailed Bust Right. VF Details—Environmental Damage (PCGS).141.5 grains. The surfaces are deeply toned dark chocolate brown in the fields and recesses, while the high points are deep tan and nicely illustrate the rather sharp design features. Microporosity is noted, but both sides appear rather glossy without the aid of magnification. The eye appeal overall is very satisfying, particularly considering the rarity of this variety and the appearances of the few other known specimens. Minor planchet voids affect the obverse rim from about 2:00 to 4:00, and another is noted at the back of the jaw. A larger one is seen at the shoulder resulting in a bit of design loss, but the others have little effect on the overall quality, visual or otherwise. This side is nicely centered while the reverse is shifted just slightly toward 10:00. Remarkably, the legends and date are full. Called VF-25 in the past, but far superior to the Collection SLT coin that was described as VF-20 and sold for nearly $5,500 in 2012. This piece is much nicer than the Frederick Taylor coin (called “possibly finest known” in 1987), and about on par with Norweb:2463 for sharpness, though Norweb’s had a very large planchet imperfection on the reverse and much less peripheral detail on that side. The Perkins coin is certainly sharper and brought just shy of $15,000 in 2000, but it also had some planchet imperfections which seem the norm for the variety.pAn important offering for the Connecticut specialist, as appearances of this variety tend only to come when truly landmark collections of Connecticuts are sold. The variety wasn’t discovered until the Frederick Canfield specimen was noticed and reported by Richard Picker in 1961. That coin resides in the ANS. The Ford sales did not include this variety at all, important considering the great old collections that went into forming his holdings. It would be a great challenge indeed to find an example nicer than this one, which was newly discovered shortly before its last offering, 14 years ago.From the Twin Leaf Collection of Connecticut & Massachusetts Coppers. Earlier ex Tenth Annual C4 Convention sale, November 2004:137.
