(ca. 1784 and ca. 1805) New York and Martinique. Portugal 1762 6400 Reis Regulated by John Burger (Script B) of New York and Officially in Martinique (22 over eagle). KM-36. EF-45 (PCGS). 192.6 grains.A fascinating piece regulated to multiple standards. John Burger of New York applied his mark in the 1780s when this coin weighed a correct 216 grains for the contemporary standard of the Bank of New York, but this coin later migrated to Martinique, where it was marked at a lower weight standard with the 22 over eagle mark. The surfaces are light yellow gold, even and appealing, with a bit of brightness on both sides. A natural lamination crosses the obverse, most evident at the tip of the portraits nose. The Script B in round cartouche mark of John Burger is in its usual location on the portraits eye, covering a subtle plug that is barely visible on the reverse. A couple of short scratches right of the reverse crown may be contemporary test cuts. The clipping around the edges has left the edge plain and taken the planchet down to the tops of the legends on the obverse. The current weight is almost exactly 8 pennyweights, a bit heavier than most with the ca. 1805 Martinique mark but in line with other island standards. The visual appeal is pleasing, as would be expected with this coins impressive provenance.<p><p><p><p>This coin began life in Portugal, crossed the Atlantic (at least once), was in New York as the British evacuated and John Burger helped New York financiers source accurate weight gold coins for use and export. Once exported after 1784, this coin circulated in the West Indies. Many coins followed a similar life trajectory, but the regulation countermarks on this piece serve as passport stamps to tell us where it has been.<p><p><p><p>Any Martinique regulated gold coin is scarce, with a population of perhaps two dozen or fewer with the 22 / eagle mark. John Burger regulations are similarly scarce. Coins with multiple regulations are a magnitude more interesting for specialists, as they tell a better story and are significantly more rare.<p>PCGS# 352071.From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex the John H. Clapp Collection; Louis E. Eliasberg Jr. Collection, via Stacks, October 1942; our (American Numismatic Rarities) sale of the Eliasberg Collection of World Gold Coins, April 2005, lot 3004; Lawrence R. Stack; our (Stacks) Americana sale, January 2008, lot 7004.<p>
