1670-A French Colonies 5 Sols. Paris Mint. Martin 4-F. Lecompte-186, W-11605, Breen-256. AU-55 (PCGS). Frosty dark gray with good luster over both sides. Aside from some shallow fissures incompletely struck out at the soft part of the central reverse, both sides are free from significant defects and show superb visual appeal. The obverse shows extensive heavy die cracks that made this ideal as the Martin plate coin to show off the late die state. The gentle break from the rim to the top of the head, seen on Martin 4-E, is joined by a heavier break to its left, through the sunface, delicate cracks through FR, and a long heavy crack across NAV, then below REX to the bust. Another crack crosses LVD X and hits the rim atop the ordinal. The reverse is cracked through DICENT and the date.<p><p>Examples of this quality are infrequently encountered, and rarely look so choice and original as this. PCGS# 905847. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from Jean Vinchon Numismatiques sale of October 2002, lot 305, via Bill Paul of American Heritage Minting, November 2002.
