1787 New Jersey Copper. Maris 34-J, W-5115. Rarity-3. Sprig Above Plow, Deer Head--Overstruck on a 1787 Connecticut Copper, Miller 30-hh.1--EF-45 (PCGS). 144.2 grains. A magnificent specimen of this popular and distinctive variety, one of the very finest known from these dies. Beautiful glossy light brown with exquisite eye appeal. Boldly overstruck on a Connecticut copper, as often seen for this variety, here showing enough undertype to be readily attributable as a Miller 30-hh.1, with its ET LIR entirely visible beneath the New Jersey shield. The Connecticut has spread into an impressively broad planchet, nearly the size of the Morristown Large Planchet issues, yet an alarming amount of undertype detail remains, especially on the reverse. The New Jersey detail is sharp, only slightly worn even, with full shield definition and a fully realized version of the Deer Head. Some light roughness is seen within the shield, and the surfaces, though glossy, reveal some faint granularity under a glass. A couple minor horizontal scrapes are noted, hidden within the right side of the shield to no great detriment. Early die state, no break at date, break from end of plow to rim below 3 oclock. Though this variety is not a great rarity, it seems to come in wretched grades in plenitude. There are only a few New Jersey cabinets on the planet which would not be improved by the addition of this exceptional coin. PCGS# 763331. From our (Stacks) sale of March 1993, lot 2053; our (Stacks) sale of March 1994, lot 336; our (Stacks) sale of the Clem Schettino Collection of New Jersey Coppers, January 2010 New York Americana Sale, lot 4287. Lot tags and collector envelope with attribution and provenance notes included. Plated on page 313 of the Siboni-Howes-Ish reference on New Jersey coppers, to illustrate an overstrike for these dies.
