1670s NJ 1/2P Saint Patrick, BN MS(PCGS#46)

1670s NJ 1/2P Saint Patrick, BN MS (PCGS#46)

The November 2012 Baltimore Auction

Lot Description: Undated (Circa 1663-1672) St. Patrick or Mark Newby Halfpenny. Vlack 3-C, W-11540. Copper. Reeded Edge. Large Letters. VF-25. 139.8 grains. Granular medium brown and a bit bent, with a rim bruise at 9 o'clock on the reverse. Good sharpness, small oval splash at center of crown, decent eye appeal despite its severe handling. This is Breen's "very large obv. letters" variety, described as "very rare." It was missing from Norweb's fairly thorough collection. Ford's nice piece, which was either double struck or overstruck on another variety, brought $6,612.50. Craige called it both Vlack 3-C and Breen 1.2-C.4. We sold a VG in our January 2009 Stack's Americana sale and a Good in our January 2008 Stack's Americana sale, ex: John Lorenzo, who noted it was "a decidedly rare variety very infrequently encountered in any grade." PCGS# 46. Provenance: From the Ted L. Craige Collection.