'1771' 1/2P Machin's, Vlack 2-71A, BN MS(PCGS#826934)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1408

Grade

XF40BN

Price

4,560

Lot Description

123.4 grains. The plate coin in the latest (2nd) edition of <em>The History and Coinage of Machin's Mills</em> by Howes, Rosen, and Trudgen. An extraordinary high grade for this elusive variety, 15 points finer than the previous highest-graded example we've offered, the lovely VF-25 (PCGS) November 2020 E Pluribus Unum coin. Dark olive and steel surfaces retain good gloss, despite some microscopic granularity seen on the reverse. The devices are a shade lighter, offering good contrast on both sides. The obverse is aligned to 5 o'clock, leaving a bit of space outside the denticles in the northwest quadrant of that side. Both sides show nicely struck devices, with good outlines and internal details, though some pre-striking roughness is still visible near central obverse within the portrait. The head of Britannia is boldly struck in this die state, while later state coins often show softness in that area. No major flaws are seen, and the eye appeal is excellent for the issue.<p>The HRT book lists a Condition Census of "F-15 to VF-25." Most of the examples we've had over the years have been grounders, low grade, or just not very nice. The Mike Ringo-Syd Martin example, overstruck on a 1774 Vlack 5-74A, remains a favorite, but examples of memorable quality are few indeed. Among the eight coins graded at PCGS as Vlack 2-71A (instead of as a 1771 Machin's Mills with no variety indicated), this is the single finest graded. Among all 1771 Machin's Mills halfpence they've graded (including all four Vlack varieties and those graded with no variety indicated), this is one of five coins graded EF-40 with only three finer. All of the finer examples are Vlack 3-71B. An example graded NGC XF-40 but sold without further cataloging in a Heritage internet auction in June 2025 was probably Condition Census quality, as was the identically graded Newman coin that served as the plate coin in the first edition of the HRT book. That piece brought $4,080 back in 2017.