1786 New Jersey copper. Maris 16-L. Rarity-2. No protruding tongue, reverse double struck. VF-35 (PCGS).144.9 grains. A fascinating piece, struck from the earliest state of this marriage before the Protruding Tongue got its protruding tongue. The surfaces are choice and glossy medium brown, the devices just a shade lighter and offering pleasing contrast. Problem free, just an exemplary piece. The reverse is lightly double struck, mostly seen among the legends. A dark toning spot between the right shield border and the last star serves as an identifier. The strike is bold, with good detail even at the center of the shield, and the obverse centering is ideal. This is a really pretty, interesting coin. Pieces from this early die state represent a tiny fraction of specimens known.<p>Bill Christensen, who cataloged this piece when it was last offered for sale in 1979, described the collection from which it came in the forward of his January 1979 sale: “This is an older collection, primarily formed in the 1930s and 1940s, with many pieces offered in conditions seldom encountered today. Mr. Purrington, a former president of the New Jersey Numismatic Society, did much of his buying when prices were right - back in the days when $3.00 Gold pieces cost $4.25!” The sale included 95 colonials, led by a Continental dollar and a run of 52 attributed lots of New Jersey coppers. While none were rarities, we wish we could see the Maris 24-P described as showing “traces of red.” Alas, none of the New Jerseys were plated aside from a Saint Patrick’s farthing that had been acquired from Stack’s in 1944.From the E Pluribus Unum Collection of New Jersey Coppers. From Henry Christensen’s sale of the Thomas U. Purrington Collection, January 1979, lot 665.
