''1775'' 1/2P Machin's, Vlack 4-75A, BN MS(PCGS#826950)

''1775'' 1/2P Machin's, Vlack 4-75A, BN MS (PCGS#826950)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Lot Description: 112.8 grains. A Condition Census calibre example of this Atlee-struck halfpenny, perhaps the most prolific die marriage from his New York City mint. Glossy chocolate brown with mostly smooth surfaces and good relief on both sides. The devices retain a good detail of detail, far more than usually encountered on this variety. Some scattered marks are seen, including light abrasions at central obverse and a few shallow scratches at central reverse. Some old dark encrustation surrounds the obverse legends, and the rim on that side is somewhat dented around the top of the obverse. A die clash is seen in the southeast reverse periphery, but the die state is early enough that the sinking of the reverse has not yet limited detail. This piece displays sharpness and eye appeal that rank high above average for this Vlack number.<p>The finest known example from these dies appears to be the Syd Martin coin, an AU-50 (PCGS) that serves as the plate coin in the HRT book; it brought an impressive $15,600 in our sale of March 2023. While we've offered a few others graded in the EF-AU range, the highest graded piece we've sold in recent decades that could be described as "smooth" was a VF-25.