1786 Connecticut Copper. Miller 4.2-R, W-2530. Rarity-6-. Mailed Bust Left. Dr. Hall Ink on Edge. VF-35 (PCGS).134.8 grains. A Clark Reverse Plate Coin. A very high-grade example, in the EF to AU range in terms of actual wear, with rich mint gloss enhancing ruddy, light brown surfaces. The strike is a bit uneven, partly due to the later state of the worn or broken dies, but mostly due to a near vertical planchet streaking that weakens some of the central design details and that is more severe on the reverse than the obverse. The legends are complete but very weak in a few places, and the date is strong and mostly unaffected, with only the “1” consumed by one of the planchet flakes. For its sharpness and superb color, it is among the finest, and perhaps the finest known of the die marriage, besting Taylor’s “F-12, ” Perkins’ “Very Fine in places” coin, and SLT’s “VG-8.” It was wholly absent from such other major collections as Boyd-Ford, Norweb, and Oechsner. This example once graced the collection of Connecticut pioneer Dr. Thomas Hall, and his distinctive ink on edge attribution “4-2 R” can be seen around the letters NNEC of CONNEC. Taking into consideration its provenance, color, sharpness and rarity, this may very well be the best survivor of the Miller 4.2-R marriage that is obtainable.From the Robert M. Martin Collection. Ex Dr. Thomas Hall Collection; Virgil Brand Collection; Stack’s Sale of Edward Hessberg Collection, June 19-20, 1991, lot 1351.
