1787 New Jersey copper. Maris Reverse T Brockage. Fine-15 (PCGS).130.7 grains. On the normally struck side, tan design elements contrast with deep olive fields. On the brockage side, the overall surface is light brown, with deeper olive contrast in incuse portions of the design. The eye appeal is excellent, but this piece clearly spent a useful life in circulation. Even wear is seen, a pit at PL of PLURIBUS and another at the final U of that word, some light scattered roughness. The brockage impression is good and crisp. Henry Chapman described this as “R[everse] T incused, the other side being a fully struck reverse T.” Interestingly, there are two of these known. The other appeared in the Ford sale as lot 227. A few other reverse brockages are known as well. The brockages of Reverse e and Reverse i that were together with this one in a three-piece lot in Spiro both turned up alongside of this one in Frontenac, in addition to a brockage of Reverse U. We have yet to see a full brockage obverse (though a partial brockage Head Left is offered in this sale).From the E Pluribus Unum Collection of New Jersey Coppers. Earlier, from Henry Chapman’s sale of the Commodore W.C. Eaton Collection, May 1929, lot 194; Hans Schulman’s sale of the Jacob Spiro Collection, March 1955, lot 1630; F.C.C. Boyd Collection, via New Netherlands Coin Company; John J. Ford, Jr. Collection; Bowers and Merena’s Frontenac sale, November 1991, lot 241.
