Dark, ugly, weakly-struck pop-top coin

ColonialCoinUnion

On the other hand, I think it really is the finest known, not just the finest slabbed.

fcloud

Nic

COOL! .K

Mark

That is a simply incredible coin! Any chance of getting a closer-up picture of the obverse and reverse? Can you share a bit of its history, eg, where did you get the coin from, do you know of other collections it has been in, etc.

Mark

P.S.: What a SUPER coin!

ColonialCoinUnion

As noted on the holder this is a Washington North Wales 1/2 Penny, formerly the Picker coin, lot #319 in Stack's in 1984 sale of the Richard Picker collection.

The Picker sale (and, incidentally, Stack's 1983 Roper collection sale) are well known among colonial collectors not just for their offerings of exceptional colonials, but also for their incredibly conservative grading where today's AUs and uncs. were called VFs and XFs.

In the Picker collection, the North Wales in my photo was described (and I quote) as follows:

". . . Struck from badly worn dies to simulate circulation, and thus always difficult to grade. However this is the finest example the cataloger can recall seeing in over ten years. Full sharp legends, and as much of the epaulet and harp as were ever cut into the dies. Engraver's finishing lines visible in the fields, and actual traces of mint red in the letters. The balance of the coin is toned the usual light tan color. A true prize. Choice About Uncirculated."

I thought this coin should be called AU58 by PCGS and I believe that would be the correct grade, but they are hard to grade for the reasons noted in the Stack's description.