1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 27-a.1, W-3125. Rarity-5. Draped Bust Left. AU-53 (PCGS).157.7 grains. Gently mottled olive and chocolate brown on both sides with appealing glossy surfaces throughout. A handsome coin with no marks worthy of note. Nicely struck on a good quality flan, with just a single shallow natural void detected right above the effigy’s head. This resulted in a bit of weakness at that point and in the first two digits of the date. Otherwise, the design elements are pleasantly sharp on this beautifully centered specimen.pWhile not terribly rare, this is a tough variety to find nice. In fact, it was noted as the finest by Michael Hodder when he described it for our sale of the Ford Collection in 2005, and he had been recording specimens of Connecticuts in his personal database for many years. Indeed, it is nicer than those included in the collections of Q. David Bowers (Pine Tree’s 1975 EAC sale), Taylor (to Collection SLT) and Perkins, the last collector having also noted this as the finest example when commenting on his own coin. Our offerings of the Ted Craige coins produced nothing better, and Newman did not have one at all. Among those we have seen, only the Canfield coin in the ANS might be this nice; the two coins appear very similar in every respect.pThis was Henry Miller’s coin, plated in Thomas Elder’s 1920 sale, giving it one of the most desirable of Connecticut provenances, a factor that complements the superior quality.From the Twin Leaf Collection of Connecticut & Massachusetts Coppers. Earlier ex Henry C. Miller, Thomas Elder, May 1920:1911; Hillyer C. Ryder (tag included); F.C.C. Boyd; John J. Ford, Jr., Stack’s, Ford Part IX, May 2005:325.
