1771 Machins Mills Halfpenny. Vlack 2-71A, W-7670. Rarity-4. GEORGIVS III, Group I--Overstruck on a 1774 Vlack 5-74A--VF-20 (PCGS).119.3 grains. A simply incredible overstrike in the colonial series and a major rarity perhaps unique in its form. The first strike is Vlack 5-74A, possibly struck slightly off-center and clearly in medal turn orientation, a die axis we have not yet seen on this variety. This coin was then fed between the dies for 2-71A, which as the overstrike dominates the coin. That being said, so much of the undertype is visible that attribution is simple -- the entire obverse legend, Georges entire profile, BRITAN, and Britannias head and sprig arm from the undertype are clearly and boldly visible. Although several major errors in the Machins Mills halfpenny series have been documented, overstrikes such as this are extremely rare. Mossman (Appendix 2, Table 30) documents a 6-76A over a counterfeit pistareen that is in the ANS, and the present coin. To these we can add the 7-74A struck over a 1785 Confederatio copper we sold in our (Stacks) 2008 Americana Sale and offer later in this sale, and the 6-76A struck over a 1785 Immune Columbia written up in the Summer 2006 issue of <em>The C4 Newsletter</em>. The present coin has been known for quite a while, having been specifically mentioned in a discussion of the emission sequence of Machins Mills halfpence in Gary Trudgens analysis of the series published in CNL in 1987. Adding to its rarity is the coins overall very decent appearance -- its medium brown surfaces exhibit a uniform light porosity, which has fortunately not affected the details of this complicated overstrike. A few old pin scratches have long since toned over and are mostly on the reverse side of the 1771 halfpenny. Here is a coin that would be a significant addition, even to a complete die variety collection of Machins Mills halfpence.PCGS# 826934.From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from our (Stacks) sale of the Estate of Michael K. Ringo, January 2009 Americana Sale, lot 7472.
