1786 Connecticut Copper. Miller 4.1-G, W-2525. Rarity-3. Mailed Bust Left. Dr. Hall Ink on Edge. AU-53 (PCGS).141.1 grains. A Clark Obverse and Reverse Plate Coin. Rich, dark brown surfaces are at once lightly lustrous and lightly glossy, with hints of lighter ruddy brown tones, chiefly in the fields and protected areas of the devices, where the original mint color was last to fade. A small, diagonal keg mark at obverse effigy’s neck and an even smaller one in front of his forehead serve to identify this example for pedigree research. Well struck and well centered on a flan that just barely accommodates the obverse legends, but not the entirety of the reverse legends, with the words ET LIB fallen over the precipice of the rim. Given the superior quality of this example, it is not surprising to see that Dr. Hall pulled this into numismatic circulation early on, with his distinctive “4-1 G” ink on edge flanking the AU of AUCTORI. It is comparable to the AU50 Newman example but without its planchet flecking, comparable to the 1975 Pine Tree EAC coin but more fully struck, and comparable in detail but better centered and less flawed than the Collection SLT coin, which achieved more than $3000 in January 2012 in our sale rooms. This example may be bested only by examples like the one permanently impounded in the Connecticut State Library, called AU55 in Robert’s notes but that looks more like a gorgeous Mint State coin with hints of mint color. Though common as a die marriage, superb, well balanced examples of 4.1-G, like this one, are quite rare.From the Robert M. Martin Collection. Ex New Netherlands 51st Sale, June 19, 1958, lot 70. Bowers and Merena’s Sale of the Frederick B. Taylor Collection, March 26-28, 1987, lot 2346.
