1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 15-R, W-2910. Rarity-7. Mailed Bust Left, CONNECT / IND, 1787 over 1788. AU Details—Environmental Damage (PCGS).109.9 grains. Dark steely brown, a touch lighter on the high points and glossy throughout, the surfaces uniformly and microscopically granular on both sides and not uncommon in the Connecticut series. A grade of EF-45 is perhaps more appropriate than PCGS’ AU Details designation. Struck a bit off center on the obverse, bringing the letters AUC in close proximity to the rim, while the reverse is perfectly centered. Flan flaw to right of shield and another smaller one adjacent to branch hand are seen from the reverse and do not affect any of the designs or legends. The 15-R combination pairs the CONNECT type obverse with the odd 1787 over 1788 overdate that; as a combination it is extremely rare, the rarest of the three pairings of with the Miller 15 obverse, 15-F, 15-R, and 15-S. The legends and date, both important features on this variety, are clear.<p>This 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.<p>This example was considered “one of two finest known” by Robert, probably a reference to the EF in our (Stack’s) Massachusetts Historical Society sale of 1973, also the Crosby Plate coin. The John Ford coin, not quite as sharp and with rough surfaces, and the reverse off center toward 12:00, brought a strong $34, 500 in 2005, as it was the finest to have been sold in many years. The landmark holdings of Frederick Taylor, George Perkins and Collection SLT were missing the variety completely, as were Garrett and Norweb. The Hall-Newman-Twin Leaf specimen, an NGC VF-35 not nearly as fine as this one, brought $8700 when it came to market again in March of this year.From the Robert M. Martin Collection. Ex Pine Tree Auction Company’s 1975 EAC Convention Sale, February 15, 1975, lot 98; Stack’s Sale of the John L. Roper Collection, December 8-9, 1983, lot 244.
