1787 Fugio 1C Newman 2-C, United States Club Rays, FUCIO, BN MS(PCGS#878521)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1352

Grade

XF40BN

Price

16,800

Lot Description

158.3 grains. A sharp and attractive example of this popular rarity. The obverse is mostly hard and smooth, even showing a hint of frost on its mottled medium brown and steel surfaces. The reverse is a bit more matte, trivially granular at top, but shows attractive medium brown color throughout with excellent eye appeal. The centering is close to ideal on both sides and the design elements are nicely defined. A planchet flaw at the left base of the sundial is related to some less significant fissures in the upper left obverse; a smaller flaw between CI of FUCIO fortunately leaves space for the errant and desirable C to be seen in all of its glory. A few little rim nicks are seen, one or two other minor planchet flaws are present, but the overall impact is wholesome and attractive, especially for a rare variety whose population is so heavily weighted to the lowest ranks.<p>The Retz census ranked this specimen sixth finest, noting it was the "Taxay plate coin." Indeed, this coin is illustrated in <em>Scott's Catalogue and Encyclopedia of US Coins</em> by Don Taxay on page 53. The Robison-Martin coin, also graded EF-40 (PCGS), was ranked by Retz as 13th. Retz didn't know about the Ted Craige coin we sold in January 2013; graded VF-35 (PCGS), it brought $28,200. He listed the Roper-Robert Ayers coin, auctioned in our August 2013 sale at $32,900, as third best, though PCGS graded it VF-30. We last sold the Stickney-Ford coin in May 2019; graded the same EF-40 (PCGS) as this one, it brought $22,800; Retz ranked it one spot above this one. The two best examples, one Unc and one nearly so, have been in private collections for decades. The last one we sold was a year ago, in August 2024, when Syd Martin's EF Details--Cleaned example brought $16,800. The EF Details--Graffiti coin from the Star of Texas collection brought the same sum in August 2022. Retz recorded 24 of these in total, mostly not very pretty.<p>The FUCIO error makes this variety particularly distinctive and has merited it a spot in the <em>Guide Book </em>for generations. Given that Connecticut coppers and Fugios were made in the same room of the same facility at the same time, it's not surprising that an errant C might creep onto a Fugio, just as an errant F crept onto the obverse of the CONNFC Connecticut variety. While the 43.1-Y Connecticut is quite common, this variety is not and ranks as a classic rarity in the series.