1787 New Jersey copper. Maris 61-p. Rarity-5. Large Planchet, PLURIBS. VF-30 (PCGS).155.5 grains. Even dark steel with finely granular surfaces. Very attractive and ideally centered on both sides. Small patches of roughness are noted near the sprigs and below the singletree, but there are no marks or other flaws to note. The obverse die shows its usual break in the mane but is otherwise early, Die State 1. This is the more elusive of the two varieties that use the distinctive reverse with the PLURIBS misspelling. Fine to Very Fine seems to be the quality present in most well-formed collections, but, as correctly noted by Siboni, Howes, and Ish, “due to planchet stock, both reverse p coins come very dark and often dull … A PLURIBS coin with smooth, pleasing surfaces is rare.” There are three exceptional coins atop the SHI Condition Census: an unverified Uncirculated said to be in Dick August’s collection, the Bushnell-Maris-Garrett-Garrett AU, and the Choice EF Earle-Boyd-Ford-Siboni coin. The remaining four examples on the census are all listed as VF. This piece is of similar quality.From the E Pluribus Unum Collection of New Jersey Coppers.
