1722-H 9 Den, BN MS(PCGS#158629)

The November 2012 Baltimore Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

6269

Grade

VF30BN

Price

1,175

Lot Description

1722-H French Colonies Sou, or 9 Deniers. La Rochelle Mint. W-11840. VF-30. 91.8 grains. Beautiful rich chocolate brown with glossy surfaces. Extremely fine granularity is noted under a glass, and magnified scrutiny reveals that the gloss comes from a thin layer of lacquer, carefully applied eons ago. The sharpness and eye appeal are superb on both sides. Obverse aligned trivially to 9 o'clock, first letter of legends interrupted at rim, reverse aligned to the same place, with the tops of MINI and BENEDICT lightly affected by the rim. Reverse swollen, radially broken from center, reminiscent of the "wheelspokes" 1794 cent. Craige noted that "COLONIES FRANCOISES same side as 16-P [the Parmelee coin, above], other different, see NOMEN (probably recut)." He described this piece as "choice" and we agree heartily. PCGS# 158629. Provenance: From the Ted L. Craige Collection. Purchased from Etienne Page, Paris, May 2, 1969.