1788 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Rt, Sml Head, BN MS(PCGS#400)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1591

Grade

G4BN

Price

2,160

Lot Description

Struck on a slightly oblong, small planchet, this is a rather pleasing coin for the grade with handsome, original color in golden-brown. The surfaces are pleasingly smooth during in-hand viewing, closer inspection with a loupe revealing only fine granularity in the obverse field, as well as a few faint, widely scattered pin scratches that are just as easily forgiven. More significant is a thin scratch at right obverse from the top of the bust that extends into the field before the chin. Given the small planchet, it is not surprising that portions of the legends and the date are beyond the borders, and die swell has weakened some of the detail in the centers, especially on the reverse, although all of this is par for the course for this RR number. Of course heavy wear is also evident to confirm the Good-6 assessment from PCGS, the boldest features the word CONNEC and bust on the obverse. Reverse rotated more than 90 degrees clockwise from coin alignment.<p>The 1788 RR-39 variety is scarce and subject to intense demand from collectors of Vermont, Connecticut and Machin's Mills coppers. Though intensely prized by three distinct groups it is not excessively rare in an absolute sense. Tony Carlotto assigned a Rarity-5 rating in his 1998 reference and admits that it is "not as rare as most believe. A small group of people each owns multiple specimens, of which I am one of the guilty." The 2018 reference by Q. David Bowers suggests that 33 to 64 examples survive, which is consistent with Carlotto's assessment from 20 years earlier. Even so, this limited supply falls far short of the demand. The present example is a suitable circulated representative that is sure to see significant interest.