1788 Connecticut Copper. Miller 16.1-D, W-4595. Rarity-3. Draped Bust Left—Counterstamped N York by John Burger. Brunk Y-30, Rulau NY 2702—VF-30 (PCGS).111.9 grains. Script N York counterstamp vertically across the face, with the “N” at the top. These N York counterstamps fascinated Robert, and he figured out that they were an exact match to that used by late 18th century silversmith John Burger on some of his spoons and hollowware. John Burger is a contemporary of the famed Ephraim Brasher and he, along with Brasher, were arguably the two largest regulators of gold coinage in New York City. Researcher, author and editor of the <em>Journal of Early American Numismatics</em> Christopher McDowell wrote up the connection to Burger in the December 2017 issue of <em>Colonial Newsletter</em> in posthumous tribute to Robert’s research and findings on this subject. The use of a geographic locator on silverware was an innovation of the mid 1750s of the New York City silversmithing partnership of Benjamin Halsted and Myer Myers, which used a similarly styled script “N-York” mark on their silverware that is thought to have been made for export to areas where their marks would not have been known. It is not surprising then that Burger’s script “N York” mark is similar to the Halsted-Myers mark, as Burger is believed to have been apprenticed to Myers and they were in fact partnered during their 1776-1783 exile from occupied New York. Ten of these “N York” marks are confirmed on Colonial coppers, including seven 1787-1788 Connecticuts, two 1788 Vermonts, and a 1773 Counterfeit George III Halfpenny (several large cents are reported by Brunk and Rulau dated 1800, 1802, 1805 and 1806, and 1839, but we surmise that these are conflations for the all uppercase N-YORK countermark that always occurs on large cents). Given the survival of so many “N York” marked coppers and the consistency of the marks being on the obverse (most near the center), the original output must have been rather large and purposeful, though the reason for John Burger marking so many coppers is currently a mystery. This is the only surviving “N York” mark that obliterates the obverse effigy’s eye and face, much as John Burger’s script B mark is always place atop the king’s eye on examples of his regulated gold pieces. This example is very sharp, but is a bit uneven due to granularity over its dark brown surfaces.From the Robert M. Martin Collection. Ex Bowers & Ruddy’s Sale of the Garrett Collection, Part 3, October 1-2, 1980, lot 1380.
