1787 New Jersey Copper. Maris 31-L, W-5095. Rarity-3. Outlined Shield. AU-58 (PCGS). 149.6 grains. 27.5 mm. Reverse aligned just a few degrees clockwise from proper coin turn. A very pretty New Jersey copper, probably the third finest known of this die marriage, boasting the trifecta of outstanding strike, color, and surface. Frosty medium brown surfaces are smooth and lustrous on both sides, gently mottled and very attractive. Ideally centered on the obverse, fully struck and complete, with the delicate undulating die crack that extends across the obverse just developing, representing Die State 2. The die crack here is most visible in the field beneath the snout to the adjacent E of CAESAREA but also extends from the mane toward O of NOVA; later, it will become a spectacular buckling die failure. A finer die crack extends through the plow share, from a denticle below to plow beam left of the coulter. The reverse is aligned a bit leftward, with denticles visible from 9:00 to 1:00. The shields details are complete, and the fields are immaculate. No marks of consequence are seen on either side. A remarkably choice piece, the kind of coin that would be desirable and easy to understand whether it was a simply high grade example of a common variety or a superb Condition Census piece, as here. <p><p>The SHI Census is led by an (unverified) Unc, followed by seven AUs, including one at Yale and the 1920 Miller coin that hasnt been traced. This is almost certainly the Miller coin. The plate is a little dark and a little blurry, but once the image size and contrast is improved, this piece appears to be a match, with identical centering, softest denticles at 8:00, shortest denticles at 11:00, and the boldest denticles (and some of the die edge) at 6:00. The unverified Partrick AU turned out to be the Spiro-Oechsner coin, sold in March 2021 as NGC EF-45. The E Pluribus Unum coin, graded AU-50 (PCGS) was beautiful but not this high grade; it brought $5,760 in November 2019. This one is listed as third finest by Siboni, Howes, and Ish, outranked among coins examined by only the Maris plate coin from Garrett. PCGS# 767900. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier probably from Thomas Elders sale of the Henry C. Miller Collection, May 1920, lot 1758; our (Stacks) Colonial Coins and Medals fixed price list of 1990, lot 152; Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006.
