1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 15-S, W-2915. Rarity-5+. Mailed Bust Left. CONNECT / INDL. VF-30 (PCGS).115.2 grains. A very nice example of the “Fatal Break” variety, a famous rarity whose known population now exceeds 30 specimens, most of them pretty terrible looking. This one is nice medium brown, a little lighter on the devices, a little darker in some areas of the fields. The surfaces are mostly close to smooth, showing some surface granularity on the left side of the reverse. As is usual, fissures are seen, including a patch on the portrait’s forehead, another off the shoulder, and a longer set that descends from the upper reverse across that side. The centering is close to ideal and the date is bold. EC of CONNECT is soft, due to the enormous break opposite it that gives this variety its moniker. This is one of the most dramatic Fatal Breaks we’ve seen, completely swallowing IB of LIB, far later than the Twin Leaf coin, the Ted Craige specimen, the SLT example, the Miller-Ford piece, or even the very late state 1975 EAC-Roper coin, all of which we’ve sold in the last 13 years. The break here is something close to an equilateral pyramid, spanning from shield to rim at the base, consuming all but the lower left serif of I in LIB. The Taylor-Perkins coin was almost this late, but not quite. Not only is this coin in a later state than all the preceding coins, it is also finer than all of them, either sharper and more choice, but in most cases both. The Taylor-Perkins coin could be considered a tie, at least, given its lack of fissure, but this piece deserves consideration. We certainly can’t locate one that’s clearly better.From the E Pluribus Unum Collection.
