1788 Connecticut Copper. Miller 7-F.2, W-4485. Rarity-6. Mailed Bust Left. AU-55+ (PCGS).Solid Choice AU quality for this scarce and challenging die marriage, some might even opt to grade this piece Mint State. It certainly appears to never have seen actual circulation, the surfaces overall smooth with no handling marks of consequence. Both sides are toned in warm, even medium brown patina with good gloss. The strike is approximately 15% off center to the upper right obverse, upper left reverse, both sides with the border through some of the peripheral features, lip of blank flan in the opposing areas. There is a shallow curved clip planchet at 10 oclock relative to the obverse, and a shallow planchet void with some associated crimson surface scale at the border below the clip on the reverse. Otherwise there are no flaws of note on either side of this uncommonly choice planchet. Striking detail is typical of the variety, otherwise sharp with a touch of softness in the centers, but in the absence of significant flan flaws the detail appears bold to full throughout. The high points are free of discernible rub, a faint crimson carbon spot below the seated figures outstretched arm mentioned solely for provenance purposes. The three grapevines on the shield are very sharp. The letter R in AUCTORI is actually a P with a little unconnected tail added in the die. Reverse rotated 170 degrees from normal coin alignment, and not all that far off from medallic alignment. This is a lovely coin that has strong claim to the title of finest known for the variety. Finer than the Hall-Brand-Taylor:2701 coin, graded VF-30 in our (Bowers and Merenas) 1987 sale, and also superior to Norweb:2609 (Good-4/F-12), Collection SLT:7434 (VG-8), Perkins:502 (Fine/Very Fine), Ford:482 (Very Fine), Craige: 11272 (PCGS AU-53), Anderson-Gleckler:5365 (PCGS AU-53) and a host of others.From Heritages Long Beach Signature Auction of February 2016, lot 3502.