1787 Machins Mills Halfpenny. Vlack 17-87E, W-7920. Rarity-7. GEORGIVS III, Group II. VF Details--Tooled (PCGS).110.9 grains. A significant piece, certainly one of the more pleasing examples extant of this major rarity of which just eight or so are known. Charming two-tone coloration, black and tan, on reasonably smooth and glossy surfaces. The lighter color on the devices allows the detail to stand out boldly against the darker fields. Some minor imperfections include a couple obverse scratches, small planchet flaws on each side, and some graffiti at the date which is not overly bothersome in hand. Overall a pleasing coin and definitely a keeper for the advanced specialist. One of the enduring rarities of the series, the 17-87E was discovered by David Sonderman in 1977 and published in the April 1978 issue of <em style="box-sizing:border-box;">Colonial Newsletter</em>, a few years after the 1974 publication of Vlacks second photographic plate. A second purported example was reported at the same time by Sonderman, but doesnt seem to exist, while in the July 1979 <em style="box-sizing:border-box;">Colonial Newsletter</em>, Jim Spilman published this example, then owned by William Anton, Jr., who reported to have had it in his collection for 12 years. A few additional specimens have come to light, bringing the count to only seven pieces in 44 years, including a beautiful example in the Richard August Collection reported to be Mint State and plated in the <em>Whitman Encyclopedia</em>. Vlack 17-87Es rarity can easily be explained by the huge die break that starts as a thin crack at the rim between TA of BRITAN, extending into the field above Britannias left leg, where it is quite thick and deep, creating multiple planes to the die face. The die undoubtedly fell apart or became otherwise unusable due to the break and was taken out of service before too many additional strikes could be made. The cause of the massive break might have been a severe clashing of the dies, which transferred outlines of the mail from Georges bust into the field in front of Britannias face, seen only on the Sonderman specimen; all other known examples show the die clashing overly enthusiastically polished from the die face, which also effaced the majority of Britannias head, the N of BRITAN, much of the sprig and all of her left hand and forearm. Pre-clash strikes must have been very few, as none seem to have survived to the present day.<p>PCGS# 826957.From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex Christopher B. Young, August 2003.
