1787 New Jersey Copper. Maris 54-k, W-5295. Rarity-3. Serpent Head. AU-53 (PCGS). 147.3 grains. 28.1 mm. Reverse aligned significantly clockwise from proper coin turn, as usually seen on this variety. Even and glossy dark olive patina, microgranular but attractive. Sharply and evenly struck, with nearly ideal centering on both sides. A raised rim was struck up around the obverse from 11:00 to 3:00, rising outside of the die edge, and some of the die edge is also visible outside the bottom of the reverse design. A rim nick over the second E of CAESAREA is the only notable contact point. Die State 3, with a light crack from EA of CAESAREA that almost reaches the date.<p><p>This boldly defined example probably misses the Condition Census, but not by much, and coins of identical sharpness are on the list. Led by the 1992 Garrett coin and the primary Ford coin at AU+, the entire six-coin SHI Census is graded AU. Both of the coins sold in the November 2019 E Pluribus Unum Collection sale are contenders for the list; the first is a shoe-in and the second should make the cut also. We sold the fifth ranked piece (also a PCGS AU-53) in our March 2017 Dr. Gordon Shaw sale, and the fourth ranked example, ex Norweb, was sold as NGC AU-58 in the March 2021 Partrick sale. The present example certainly boasts a more even strike than many, and a better pedigree too. PCGS# 766278. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex Stacks (privately), April 1988; William ODonnell Collection; our (Stacks) 2001 Americana Sale, January 2001, lot 152; Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006.
