1787 New Jersey Copper. Maris 30-L, W-5090. Rarity-4. Outlined Shield. AU-53 (PCGS). 149.7 grains. 27.7 mm. An old friend, acquired from our 2013 Ted Craige sale, where we described it as follows:<p><p>"Frosty medium brown with strong residual luster on pleasing surfaces. A beautiful high grade copper, the sort of original-looking coin that is easy to call AU and seems to beg for a grade more like 55 than 50. Alas, PCGS certified this piece at 50 (though it is now offered raw) and we will err on the side of conservatism here. A thin horizontal hairline scratch under the snout to E of CAESAREA and a tiny rim nick over second U of UNUM are the only flaws we find under scrutiny. Some microscopic planchet flecks are noted in the southeast quadrant of the obverse. Exceptionally sharp, the bulge at plow just underway in this die state, earlier than the SHI Die State 2. Obverse shows denticles from 6 oclock to 12 oclock, reverse from 6 oclock to about 1 oclock. The Maris-Garrett coin appears to be the only specimen that can be fairly called finer. The Ford coin, ex Earle-Ryder-Boyd, seems comparable, though that piece did have some peeks of mint color and was very attractive in hand. The SHI Condition Census notes another AU- (unseen), followed by the second Ford coin and the Roper coin, neither one of which is at the same echelon as this one. A strong Condition Census coin, a really stellar example of the variety."<p><p>The Ford-Partrick coin, ranked third in the SHI Census, has resold since 2013, graded NGC AU-53 at the time of its March 2021 appearance. The fourth ranked piece, graded AU Detail, Cleaned (PCGS) was spun off by Syd as a duplicate in our November 2017 sale. This is certainly finer than fourth best and we prefer it to the coin ranked third. The piece listed as second in the census remains unverified. PCGS# 767899. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from our sale of the Ted L. Craige Collection, January 2013 Americana Sale, lot 11333.