1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 15-R, W-2910. Rarity-7. Mailed Bust Left, CONNECT / IND, 1787 over 1788. VF-35 (NGC).102.0 grains. Mostly uniform dark steel brown surfaces with the faintest traces of mahogany on the high points. Even, fine granularity is seen over both sides but there are no other imperfections that are not emas made/em. The slightly flawed planchet has light to moderate striated fissures through the effigy, a small rim void at 12:30, a flake just left of LIB and a small clip above the effigy’s brow. None of these is overly disruptive to any major features or the eye appeal. The centering is just a bit low on the obverse, and quite good on the reverse. The legends and date, both important features on this variety, are clear.pThis rarity is popular for the engraving errors on both dies. The obverse, Miller’s #15, is distinctive for the CONNECT spelling, and though this die was used in three pairings, that offered here is the rarest. The reverse die is distinctive for its legend IND ET LIB, as well as for its corrected overdate. The digits were initially punched as 1788, and corrected to 1787, a feature easily seen on this piece.pThe nicest examples of this rarity we recall are probably the Roper coin (formerly the Q. David Bowers-Pine Tree 1975 EAC sale coin), called Very Fine at the time, but probably a bit better; and the John Ford coin, which was a bit sharper than this one, but with a larger clip, similarly rough surfaces, and the reverse off center toward 12:00. That coin brought $34,500 in 2005. The landmark holdings of Frederick Taylor, George Perkins and Collection SLT were missing the variety completely, as were Garrett and Norweb. Another fairly nice example, rather similar to this, resides in the ANS Collection. The present piece emerged from the long-held collection of Eric Newman in 2014, when it became available publicly for the first time on record. This was Dr. Thomas Hall’s coin, which, like the rest of his core collection of Connecticuts, transferred to Virgil Brand, privately. The coins then went to B.G. Johnson who sold this piece to Newman, who held it for essentially a emlifetime/em. It sold for $23,500 in the May 2014 sale of his Connecticut coppers. It was coin #1804 on the B.G. Johnson listing of the Hall Connecticuts, and his original “Hall Collection” envelope is included.pWhile most Hall coins are found with painted on varieties, such is not the case here. However, a small round paper ticket with the variety, seemingly written in Hall’s hand, is included. The long curving serif at the upper left of his “R” is distinctive and seen in his notebook.pAn exceptional example of this desirable and distinctive rarity, with one of the finest provenances of a Connecticut copper, back to a pioneer researches in the series.From the Twin Leaf Collection of Connecticut & Massachusetts Coppers. Earlier ex Dr. Thomas Hall; Virgil M. Brand; Burdette G. Johnson; Eric P. Newman, Heritage, Newman Part IV, May 2014:30095.
