1739 Higley Copper. Freidus 3.2-D, W-8265. Rarity-7. VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE / J CUT MY WAY THROUGH, Broad Axe. VF-20 (PCGS). 135.4 grains. An outstanding piece with wonderful color and eye appeal for the type. This is certainly among the most attractive examples of those Higley coppers bearing a 1739 date, of which there are fewer than 20 specimens altogether. Medium brown with warm reddish-tan undertones giving this piece a distinctive and unusually attractive appearance. The surfaces are generally smooth and of sound quality, there are just minor traces of microgranularity in a few places and what appear to be old marks in the field above the deer. Somewhat glossy but with a dusky originality, and a bit of oxidation is present in the form of a dusting of pale green patina around some of the details, something easily removable with careful conservation. <p>Boldly struck everywhere except for a portion of the legends at 7:00 to 9:00 on the obverse and the corresponding reverse periphery. The deer is complete and bold and stands out proudly on the obverse. The other motifs are clear and while the date is weak due to strike, the all-important 9 is completely visible. The reverse displays some interesting characteristics. It seems to be in an unusually late die state as there are several die gouges in the form of raised lines on the coin that are not present on other specimens. Additionally, there is what appears to be a five-pointed star, as appears on Higley obverses, just past the J, and some other unidentifiable undertype present near the 9 of the date, perhaps indicating this coin was a flipover double strike or overstruck on another coin.<p>The census for this variety is bit muddled but it appears that just seven examples are definitively accounted for. Freidus recorded five and the only additional coins to come to light are the present coin and the 1947 ANA Sale:579 coin that we sold in our November 2012 Baltimore sale. The Newman coin (NGC G-4 and later PCGS G-4 CAC), also ex the 1947 ANA Sale (either lot 580 or 581) and earlier Zabriskie:41, was misattributed as 3.3-D in the Newman sale but was recorded correctly by Freidus. There is a discrepancy regarding the weight of that coin as recorded in the Zabriskie and Newman catalogs, but the coins plate-match. Regardless of the exact number, very rare is a safe descriptor. <p>There are two coins graded higher at PCGS for the 1739 date, an EF-40 and a VF-25, but both display severe file marks and the EF-40 has no visible date. Martin acquired this coin at Heritages May 2008 Long Beach sale where it realized a robust $92,000, not surprising nor unwarranted given the paucity of quality Higley coppers available to collectors. The competition will once again be stiff when this coin crosses the block this time around, especially considering the added provenance of Syd Martin whose collection of Higleys will no doubt become the stuff of numismatic legend. PCGS# 219. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from our (ANR/Stacks) sale of the Henry Da Costa Gomez Collection, June 2004, lot 4004; Heritages May 2008 Long Beach Signature Auction, lot 2106.
