1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 33.8-Z.13, W-3470. Rarity-5. Draped Bust Left. EF-45 (PCGS).130.2 grains. More like an AU-55 from the standpoint of wear, the chestnut brown surfaces are awash in rich mint gloss and original mint luster. Well centered and well struck at the peripheries and lower obverse/upper reverse, but Mr. Connecticut’s head is very flatly struck, as is the corresponding area of the reverse. Called “High Condition Census” by Robert on his envelope, as he was unable to track down any comparable high quality specimens over his decades of research. Taylor’s was called “VF-30 overall” and is quite nice but has an even less full strike than this one, the Hessberg piece was called Choice VF and was well struck, while the Oechsner coin was called “Mint State” and looks more like Robert’s but with a slightly stronger strike. More recently sold collections like Ford, SLT and Newman all included greatly inferior coins. Here is very pretty, trouble-free survivor of this scarce die pairing.From the Robert M. Martin Collection. Ex Stack’s Sale of the Ellis Robison Collection, February 10, 1982, lot 132, there attributed as 33.8-Z.19.
