1774 Machins Mills Halfpenny. Vlack 5-74A, W-7760. Rarity-4. GEORGIVS III, Group I. EF-45 (PCGS). Rich crimson-brown patina dominates the appearance on the obverse, while the reverse is mostly medium copper in tone. Well centered in strike, although the right peripheries on both sides are devoid of denticulation. All major design elements are bold, if not sharp, and the surfaces are generally smooth in appearance. A bit of original planchet roughness in the center of the reverse is noted, as are a few small obverse pits over and before King Georges head. This is a moderately scarce variety in the Machins Mills halfpenny series in an absolute sense, but it is conditionally challenging with most survivors grading no finer than the basal VF level. A significant offering for the advanced collector. Ex our (Bowers and Ruddys) sale of the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, Part IV, March 1981, lot 2227; Gary Trudgen; our Baltimore Auction of March 2018, lot 3066.
