1788 New Jersey Copper. Maris 65-u, W-5495. Rarity-3. Head Right. VF-30 (PCGS). Attractive steel-brown and deep golden-brown patina engages surfaces that are largely free of post-striking blemishes. The better struck areas show good gloss, as well as sharp detail. This is a late die state example of the Maris 65-u dies, however, with extensive buckling to the obverse that has resulted in little to no detail over the left-central obverse and right-central reverse. Virgin planchet texture is evident in those areas, which is rough and pitted, as made. This advanced die state is described in detail in the 2013 Siboni-Howes-Ish reference on New Jersey coppers: "DS3 also involves drastic buckling of the die through the center and a horn-like cud appears on the horses chest. It is small initially, then grows to considerable size. The buckling of the die means that the horses chest is weak on the majority of specimens such that distinguishing this cud is often difficult. In DS4, the cracks becomes more prominent, particularly the one across the top of NOVA. The arc break through the singletree extends to the final 8 and then horizontally under the date. Late is DS4, the horn on the horses chest grown to considerable size." The present example is DS4, Late, with the horn break completely indistinct due to buckling of the die. Our consignor considers this die state terminal and assigns it a Rarity-8 rating. Certainly an exciting offering for the specialist in New Jersey coppers. PCGS# 767860. Ex Henry Chapman; unknown intermediaries; Dennis Wierzba, via Mike Wierzba, September 20, 2006. Chapman tag and collector envelope with attribution and provenances notes included. Interestingly, the Chapman tag describes this piece as "Poor, obviously a failure to recognize the terminal die state.
