1778 Machins Mills Halfpenny. Vlack 13-78C, W-7845. Rarity-8+. GEORGIVS III, Group III. AG-3 (PCGS).101.3 grains. A thrilling appearance for Machins Mills enthusiasts of the only variety in the series that is known by just a single specimen. This piece was discovered in 2008 and first sold in our (Stacks) January 2011 Americana Sale where it was described as follows:<p>"The most exciting discovery in the Machins Mills halfpenny series in years, and the first new die to be added to the canon since reverse 71D was identified in 1989. That coin remains Rarity-8 to this day. The present specimen is quite appealing for its grade, with smooth surfaces boasting ideal light brown color. The bases of GEORGIVS are visible, especially GE and S, and the obverse bust is fully outlined. BRI is plain on the reverse, along with a bit of the T and the first N. The seated figures head is full, and the detail near the exergue is bold. The sharpest part of the coin, luckily, is the date, which is complete and bold. The leaning, distinctive 8 makes for a fine pick-up point for this new rarity. Some light hairlines are seen, a few pits are present near Britannias shield, but otherwise this coin is problem free. Its die axis is an unusual 135 degrees. Based on the total lack of central reverse detail, we would presume this coin had a fatal flaw and struck very few coins before its death. Discovered in 2008, this coin has never before sold publicly. Its discovery has been published in both the <em style="box-sizing:border-box;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;">C4 Newsletter </em>(Fall 2008) and <em style="box-sizing:border-box;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;word-spacing:0px;">Colonial Newsletter #138</em> and the coin has its own Whitman number (and is pictured in that reference). We are excited to bring it to market for the first time and expect a record mark for a Machins Mills halfpenny."<p>The new 78C reverse represents the fifth and final pairing of the 13 obverse. As outlined in George Seifrits article regarding this discovery specimen in CNL #138, Vlack obverse 13 was paired with reverses 78B, 87CT, 78B, 88CT and finally 78C.<p>Over the course of the now 15 years since this variety was discovered, it is remarkable that not a single additional example has come to light. One would expect that given enough time after a discovery such as this, one or more examples previously misattributed as 13-78B might be identified, or a previously unknown piece to specialists might turn up as simply a "British halfpenny" the way many Machins Mills discoveries are made. But no such thing has occurred and the extreme rarity of Vlack 13-78C seems now fairly well established. A cherished highlight of Syds Machins Mills collection that will be a trophy coin for its next owner.PCGS# 914452.From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex George Seifrit; our (Stacks) January 2011 Americana Sale, lot 6051. Plated to illustrate the variety in The History and Coinage of Machins Mills by Howes, Rosen, and Trudgen, 2020, p. 139.
