1785 VT 1/2P Vermonts, BN MS(PCGS#539)

Spring 2019 Baltimore U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

320

Grade

AU55BN

Price

28,800

Lot Description

Outstanding RR-3 Vermont Copper The Garrett Specimen Probable Finest Known 1785 Vermont Copper. Landscape. RR-3, Bressett 2-B, W-2010. Rarity-4. VERMONTS. AU-55 (PCGS). 114.4 grains. Double struck, evidence of which is most prominent along the left obverse and right reverse borders. An obverse planchet flaw through the letters ICA in PUBLICA is noted, and a few other smaller ones are present on the edge from 1 to 2 o'clock relative to the same side. There are additional minor planchet pits scattered about, most significantly at the plow handles and the letter E in STELLA, but in general the surfaces are remarkably smooth for a type that is typically seen on noticeably flawed planchets. The strike is virtually complete with only the lower borders a bit tight to the design elements and blank flan along the upper borders on both sides. An otherwise sharp strike comes up short only at the letters LLA in STELLA, and trivially so. In fact, this is an exceptionally well produced Landscape Vermont in all regards. It is also an exceptionally well preserved one with overall smooth, satiny, copper brown surfaces. Writing in the 1993 reference The Copper Coins of Vermont, Tony Carlotto states of RR-3: "Appearances of this variety seem to go in spurts. A few nice specimens exist, most notably the Taylor coin in AU condition. The Cole example was XF and Dr. Smith's in the Ingle sale was VF. It was missing from Norweb, Picker, Roper, and the Four Landmark sale by Bowers and Merena. The chances of having the luxury to be picky are very slim." Interestingly Carlotto missed the Garrett specimen offered here, which is superior to the Taylor coin and described as the finest seen up that point in time in our (Bowers and Ruddy's) Garrett I Sale. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the advanced Vermont copper enthusiast, this coin would serve as a centerpiece in even the finest cabinet. Provenance: From the Greenway Collection. Earlier ex our (Bowers and Ruddy's) sale of the Garrett Collection for the John Hopkins University, Part I, November 1979, lot 553. Lot tag and Stack's company tag with attribution notation included. PCGS# 539. NGC ID: 2B55. Click here for certification details from PCGS.