1722/1-H French Colonies Sou, or 9 Deniers. La Rochelle Mint. Martin 2.14-C.4, W-11835. Rarity-4. VF-30 (PCGS). 87.8 grains. A lovely coin with outstanding eye appeal for the type and date and offering with interesting numismatic history. Choice light brown with just a few small areas of natural planchet porosity and slightly rough brick-red patina. The overall smoothness and gloss of the surfaces, as well as the remarkably well centered and firmly struck detail make this coin immediately stand out as an exceptional 9 deniers. This piece is from the famous New Netherlands 60th Sale, considered by some to be among the most important and best cataloged sales of colonial coins ever. Walter Breen cataloged this coin therein as a C/I in FRANCOIS variety, a variety that later made its way into Breens 1988 <em>Encyclopedia</em> as Breen-264. Its unclear exactly what is under the C in FRANCOIS, and whether it is repunching or die failure. Nevertheless, an intriguing and beautiful coin with a story to tell. It realized $3,055 in our sale of the Craige Collection, a testament to its desirability. PCGS# 905878. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from B. Max Mehls June 1942 Sale, lot 1; Dr. Angus Black; New Netherlands Coin Co.s 60th Sale, December 1968, lot 232; our sale of the Ted L. Craige Collection, November 2012 Baltimore Auction, lot 6270. Plated in the Martin reference "French Coinage Specifically For Colonial America," pp. 208, 358.
