1778 Machins Mills Halfpenny. Vlack 12-78B, W-7830. Rarity-3. GEORGIVS III, Group III. AU-58 (PCGS).85.2 grains. Essentially Mint State but for a bit of classic cabinet friction, the light chocolate brown surfaces abound in original mint gloss and a hint of golden brown where the mint color was last to fade. Struck slightly off-center toward 2:00, with no loss to any of the lettering or devices, while a minuscule planchet clip is noted around 7:00. Sharply struck but on a lightweight flan that was too thin to accommodate the depth of this well-made die, the unfinished original planchet surface shows through the central devices as a result. Reverse die shows bold, multiple clash marks from the obverse that are more obvious than usual due to the lack of wear and the well-preserved, original surfaces; it is puzzling that no vestiges of clashing are noticeable on the obverse. Reverse die sunken at lower left and below Britannias branch hand, as usually seen. The Whitman Encyclopedia gives the condition census as EF-45 to MS-60, and this piece fits comfortably at the high end. One of the highlights of this advanced offering of Machins Mills halfpence, it is undoubtedly one of the finest survivors of this 1778-dated circulating counterfeit of the American Confederation era. It is the second finest graded by PCGS for the date, with the only higher grade given to the MS-62 Newman example of Vlack 11-78A.From the E Pluribus Unum Collection.
