1785 Connecticut Copper. Miller 4.1-F.4, W-2355. Rarity-1. Bust Right, African Head. AU-58 (PCGS).150.4 grains. A superb specimen of this popular <em>Guide Book</em> variety, in fact, it is one of the two finest graded by PCGS, with none finer. When we last sold this lovely coin, it was described as follows: "The surfaces are choice and handsome milk chocolate-brown, uniform and glossy. There are virtually no handling marks worthy of mention save for a small rim nick beneath the truncation. Struck from a later die state with clash marks and obvious die wear, but nicely executed nonetheless, featuring rather crisp central details. The peripheries are softer, yet all elements are clear save for where the slightly southward misaligned reverse has affected the date.<p>All of the major collections of Connecticuts we have sold have contained nice African Heads, and opinions have fluctuated as to which were the finest due to variations of strike, color, and likely subjective analysis of old catalog plates. What is clear is that this piece is among the finest handful we have offered. It is far superior to the Norweb and Collection SLT coins, and easily nicer than the PCGS AU-50 in our March 2015 sale.<p>Beyond these most of the high end coins seen in various sales virtually dance around each other in terms of ranking and it would be interesting to see them together for a proper study. This is very similar to the Q. David Bowers-Pine Tree 1975 EAC sale coin, with remarkable sharpness of the fine details, as Breen noted for that piece. However, this coin seems to have better color and surfaces. It is also very similar the Perkins coin, though a later die state. It is similar to Fords which was centered better, but described as microgranular, which this piece certainly is not. It is quite similar to the Garrett coin which was also better centered and more sharply struck, but without the small planchet defect of that coin.<p>The Frederick B. Taylor coin was described as having traces of Mint Red in our (Bowers and Merenas) 1987 sale, but when the present specimen was last sold by us in 1991, it was described, likely by the same writer, as having "much nicer eye appeal" than the Taylor coin seen just four years previous. It was also noted to exhibit the same die states. Suffice it to say, the offered coin is a superior quality piece and an ideal representative of this relatively common yet distinctive type."<p>As mentioned in the opening line above, PCGS has graded no examples finer than this, and there are just two coins reported as AU-58. The other coin is similar, as expected, but the overall sharpness of this coin is superior. A really outstanding specimen of this distinctive type. <p>PCGS# 319. NGC ID: 2B2B.Ex our (Bowers and Merenas) Frontenac Sale, November 1991, lot 325; Anthony Terranova, 2001; our sale of the Twin Leaf Collection of Connecticut & Massachusetts Coppers, Spring 2019 Baltimore Auction, lot 8074.
