1788 Connecticut Copper. Miller 2-D, W-4405. Rarity-1. Mailed Bust Right—Dr. Hall Ink on Edge—AU-58 (PCGS).110.5 grains. Called "Nearly Uncirculated, reflective surfaces, Among Finest Known” on Roberts envelope; the grade and ranking are easy enough to interpret, but the term "reflective surfaces” is much a much more unusual term when used for a state copper, but in this case, it is very accurate. The surfaces are a glossy dark chocolate brown, with steely highlights amidst the glasslike smoothness in the fields. There are no large planchet flaws of individual note, but the insufficiency of the strike on a lightweight flan has left the rough, natural, unstruck texture of the original planchet surface visible at the centers of both sides as well as along the rim at left obverse and reverse. This coin is a gem and is fundamentally unworn, with only a bit of literal cabinet friction noted at Liberty’s chest and on the grapevines on the shield. As a Rarity-1 die marriage of a late-dated Connecticut, it is not surprising to learn that many high-grade specimens exist, many of which were undoubtedly called EF or AU over the years. Most of these coins have some sort of visible planchet or other flaws—the recently sold PCGS MS-62 BN Archangel coin has similar surfaces, a slightly stronger strike, but areas of darker patina, the primary Newman coin sold in 2014 was called AU-55 and has great color but a bit of natural planchet corrosion at upper obverse, while the superior Uncirculated primary Ford coin is a sharp example on a very lightweight flan from the later, more broken state of the dies. The die state is earlier on this example, with die cracks below bust on obverse and through lower shield on reverse. A simply superb quality coin brought into the numismatic realm early on by Dr. Thomas Hall, who marked the edge in white ink with his “2 D*” attribution.From the Robert M. Martin Collection. Ex Dr. Thomas Hall Collection; Virgil Brand Collection; New Netherlands 51<sup>st</sup> Sale, June 19-20, 1958, lot 106; Stack’s Sale of the Harold Bareford Collection, October 22, 1981, lot 20.
