1788 NJ 1/2P Head Left, Maris 51-g Batman Shield, BN MS(PCGS#767835)

March 2017 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

318

Grade

VF35

Price

11,750

Lot Description

Ex Dr. Maris-Garrett 1788 Head Left NJ Copper Maris Obverse Plate Coin 1788 New Jersey Copper. Maris 51-g, W-5480. Rarity-6-. Horse's Head Left. VF-35 (PCGS). 147.0 grains. A beautiful specimen of the three "Head Left" die combinations that hails from the famed Richard Picker collection, and previously from the Garrett and Dr. Maris collections. Dr. Maris even used the obverse of this coin to illustrate his plate in A Historical Sketch of the Coins of New Jersey, undoubtedly for the sharpness of the design motifs, which are as sharp as on specimens considered finer. In fact few specimens known are sharper than this piece, a notable exception being the recently discovered and sold 51-g that is now in a PCGS XF45 encapsulation. The high points of the motifs are worn to a golden brown hue, while the fields are darker brown and lightly granular. The obverse is centered toward 7 o'clock, the reverse toward 12 o'clock, softening the legends in those areas. Date is soft but visible, rendering this an ideal type specimen of the Head Left design suitable for either a high end type collection or a carefully assembled die variety set. Provenance: From the Dr. Gordon Shaw Collection. Earlier ex Dr. Edward Maris Collection, Harlan P. Smith, June 1886, lot 448; T. Harrison Garrett Collection; Richard Picker, acquired in a private sale from the Garrett Collection; The Richard Picker Collection, Stack's, October 1984, lot 225.