Undated (1688) American Plantations Token, or 1/24 Part Real. Newman 2-G, W-1140. Rarity-6+. Transposed Arms, Five Harpstrings. Original. Uncirculated Detail—Environmental Damage (PCGS).135.2 grains. One of the most famous varieties in the series, showing a much different layout among the shield and lettering of the reverse compared to other reverse dies. A good bit of golden toning and surviving luster is seen on the reverse, and traces likewise appear on the obverse. Most of the coin is deep gray. The devices are mostly quite sharp, but the rims show significant crumbling, particularly in the lower right obverse. The obverse shows some bubbling, and a tinpest loss is noted atop the rear horse legs. Despite it at all, this example is far finer than most: witness the examples sold in our March 2015 Kendall sale and our November 2012 sale. Breen recorded just six specimens, and modern published estimates of survivors typically focus on numbers around 10 to 12. This variety was not present in our offering of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, who admittedly did not focus on these by variety, owning just an ET. HB. REX and a restrike Newman 5-D. The broad, deep Norweb Collection also lacked this variety, as did the Ted Craige Collection. The Eric Newman Collection included one specimen from these dies, a pleasant circulated coin graded NGC VF-30, which sold for $8,812.50. Interestingly, PCGS appears to have never numerically graded a specimen of this variety, leaving this piece as at least tied for finest certified.From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from Abner Kreisberg.
