1787 1/2P Immunis Columbia Eagle Reverse, Plain Edge, BN MS(PCGS#841)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1577

Grade

VF20BN

Price

2,280

Lot Description

This is a desirable example of an enigmatic issue, displaying handsome medium antique copper patina with hints of deep rose and warm olive also evident as the surfaces rotate under a light. The obverse is only slightly aligned toward 11 o'clock, border approaching the tops of the letters UNIS in IMMUNIS, date essentially complete, other letters likewise bold. The reverse is similarly aligned, the border at top lightly engaging the letters IBUS in PLURIBUS. A pair of shallow planchet clips at 9 and 11 o'clock relative to the obverse are minimally into the lettering. Otherwise we note bold detail affected only by the moderate wear that one should expect at the PCGS-assigned VF grade level. An old, light nick and associated pin scratch in the upper right reverse field are noted, as is a touch of microgranularity to the texture. The surfaces are fairly smooth in hand, however, and the eye appeal is strong for the grade. The usual reverse crack from the eagle's right wing to the letter U in UNUM is noted.<p>The origin and intent of the Immunis Columbia coppers has long been debated by numismatic scholars. Walter Breen had suggested that they were patterns for a proposed U.S. coinage, although the number of examples known and the evidence for extensive commercial use that most display suggest that they were intended for circulation. If these had been intended as a proposal for contract coinage, as suggested by Breen and others, it would seem that fewer would have been struck and higher grade examples would be the norm. Instead, collectors rarely have the opportunity to acquire an example grading finer than Choice EF, and we offered one as low as Good-4 (PCGS) as recently as 2023. At the middle reaches of the numismatic grading scale, and solid in terms of both quality and eye appeal, the present specimen will be a real treat for many collectors.