1788 Massachusetts Cent. Ryder 9-M, W-6270. Rarity-5+. Period After MASSACHUSETTS. MS-64 BN (PCGS). An astonishing piece, this superb and fully lustrous coin is the clear finest known survivor of this rare variety and the only Mint State example known. And this is no borderline or low end Mint State piece. It is an incredibly well preserved near-Gem with booming cartwheel luster that swirls over the fields and devices on each side, revealing bright flashes of original copper-orange in the protected areas while the mint color is just barely faded to chocolate-brown and steel elsewhere. The surfaces possess a fresh, satiny texture throughout and are completely undisturbed showing no abrasions or other signs of mishandling. With its sparkling mint surfaces and considerable red, this piece is in the upper echelon of Massachusetts cents generally, never mind the die variety. The only things keeping this coin from easily grading Gem, or even higher, are a few spots of dark tone with inactive corrosion on the reverse and slight weakness of strike at the centers where some original planchet texture remains. The eye appeal, luster, and surface quality are all easily in excess of what one normally encounters, even at this lofty grade level for the type.<p>The appearance of this coin in the Newman sale in 2014 was something of a shock to specialists. Prior to that time, the Condition Census for the variety included coins grading EF all the way down to Fine, and the Norweb coin, graded AU-50 in its sale catalog, was considered the finest known. There was a coin described as Uncirculated in the Ford sale, but it was actually a misattributed Ryder 7-M. The excitement over the chance to own such a sensational coin was obvious at the Newman sale where this coin brought the highest price of any Massachusetts copper at $32,900. This price was second only to that of his Transposed Arrows for this series in the Newman sales overall. Yet another Massachusetts copper wonder coin from the Syd Martin collection, a piece that would significantly elevate even the most advanced cabinet.<p> PCGS# 688963. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Heritages sale of the Eric P. Newman Collection Part IV, May 2014, lot 30249.
