1788 New Jersey Copper. Maris 77-dd (DS1), W-5535. Rarity-3. Head Right, Running Fox Before Legend. VF-25 (PCGS). 143.83 grains. Warm golden-brown patina with intermingled light autumn highlights on the reverse. The strike is trivially off center to the viewers right and, while the left peripheries are a bit soft on both sides, all major design elements are appreciable, including the all important fox. Central features, such as the horses head and shield, are quite sharp for the grade. The surfaces are a bit rough, more so on the reverse, but there are no sizeable or otherwise individually mentionable marks; a circular planchet void is out of the way at the left obverse border. All in all, a nice Running Fox for the type collector, and also a pleasing VF to represent the early die state of the Maris 77-dd attribution. From the Norman G. Peters Collection.
