'1771' 1/2P Machin's, Vlack 3-71B, BN MS(PCGS#826939)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1411

Grade

AU53BN

Price

13,200

Lot Description

132.8 grains. In any other collection, this piece would be a singular highlight. In the Richard August Collection, it's a duplicate, despite being tied with the finest example from these dies we've ever offered before the current sale -- and despite being the plate coin for the variety in the <em>Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins</em>. The obverse is golden medium brown, the reverse more golden tan, smooth and glossy on both sides. The visual appeal is excellent and the strike is bold. The obverse is aligned due east, with some unstruck area outside the denticles at left. The reverse is more profoundly off center, aligned to the right with the die edge and an upturned rim visible at left. Two heavy linear breaks are visible at the base of the obverse, with another smaller break above those two, but no reverse cud is present. The strike is bold enough to bring out the details in Britannia's face and reduce the usual obverse depression to invisibility. Scattered marks are seen, mostly light and trivial. We note an old dig on George's neck, a single hairline through the second G of GEORGIVS to the ribbon ends, a short scratch to the rim from the stop after GEORGIVS, and a speck of verdigris between RE of REX. On the reverse, we note just a mark near the rim above the second I of BRITANNIA and a very shallow scratch between 17 of the date. None of these are individually significant, and the condition and quality remains exceptional.<p>We sold the only other AU-53 (PCGS) coin in November 2020 for $6,000. At the time, it was the only AU Vlack 3-71B certified. Now there are three, two of which are offered in the current sale.