1788 Connecticut Copper. Miller 11-G, W-4510. Rarity-2. Mailed Bust Left. AU-55 (PCGS).110.6 grains. A famous example of this issue, sold as Mint State in its last two raw appearances. Lustrous iridescent rose and violet, faded from mint color, enlivens golden olive surfaces. The devices appear unworn, and the surfaces are fresh and frosty. The obverse is aligned to 8:00 or so, with the tops of AU affected at the edge and a broad rim above CONN retaining the planchet’s original texture. A long granular fissure descends diagonally from cheekbone to the edge of the cuirass at the shoulder. The reverse is rotated about 30 degrees counterclockwise from proper coin turn and is misaligned to roughly 12:00, leaving the top of the seated figure’s head interrupted at the edge and a broad arc of denticles and unstruck planchet below the clear, crisp date. The central devices are well detailed, though these dies were struck in shallow relief. The eye appeal is excellent, with no notable flaws. The dies have clashed several times, leaving vestiges in the fields on both sides.<p><p><p>This variety is fairly readily available in nice grades, but there is not a substantial quantity known better than low end AU. Michael Hodder considered the Perkins coin the best. We offered it in our November 2019 Robert Martin sale as an AU-55 (PCGS) and consider this coin the higher grade of the two. We also like it better than the Ford coin and several other marquee examples in this grade range. The AU-55 (PCGS) example in our November 2012 sale and the AU-58 (PCGS) example we sold in November 2018 are also in consideration, the latter of which is the finest PCGS has certified.<p><p>From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from our (Bowers and Merenas) sale of the Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, May 1996, lot 74; Steve Tanenbaum Collection; our sale of Collection SLT, January 2012, lot 7354 (at $19,550).
