1786 NJ 1/2P Maris 15-J, Leaning Head, BN MS(PCGS#766261)

The Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

8017

Grade

AU55BN

Price

16,800

Lot Description

Superb 1786 Maris 15-J The Boyd-Ford Coin 1786 New Jersey Copper. Maris 15-J, W-4815. Rarity-4. Straight Plow Beam, Leaning Head. AU-55 (PCGS). 150.7 grains. 28.1 mm. Reverse aligned slightly clockwise from proper coin turn. An exceptional specimen of this die marriage, ranked as fourth finest in the SHI Census but seemingly deserving of a still higher rank. Highly glossy deep olive with faded maroon around design elements. Crisply struck and remarkably well detailed, with the cross-hatched die finish lines still boldly visible behind the horsehead. A couple of trivial fissures are seen under the plowhandles and around the reverse periphery. Nicely centered, with obverse denticles present from 2:00 to 10:00. Probably lightly cleaned ages ago, but recolored and recovered at this point. A very attractive and very high grade example. Die State 1, with a jogging die crack descending from EA of CAESAREA to beyond the plow. This piece appears less worn than the Partrick coin, ranked second in the SHI Census and sold in March 2021 as NGC AU-53. The third ranked coin, the lovely Frontenac coin, was Ford's duplicate that was sold before this one. The only clearly superior piece is the Maris-Garrett-O'Donnell Unc. and the decision between this and the Frontenac coin may be a toss-up. E Pluribus Unum included Spiro's notable double strike, graded EF-45 (PCGS), and another handsome PCGS EF-45 as well. This is certainly finer than both. Provenance: From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier from William Hesslein's sale of the Edward Miller Collection, April 1916, lot 665; Hillyer Ryder Collection; F.C.C. Boyd Collection; Boyd Estate to John J. Ford, Jr.; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part I, October 2003, lot 89; Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006. PCGS# 766261. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.