New Jersey Copper Questions - Pictures Added

hchcoin

I own a 1786 New Jersey Copper that is a narrow shield straight beam. It was given to me from my grandmother back in the mid 1970's. She lived in New Jersey and collected coins her whole life. The coin was passed down to her through our family. I don't collect colonial coins and don't have much knowledge of the series other than what I have seen in the red book.

Are there many different varieties of this date and type? For example, in bust quarters there are many die marriages for each year that are not listed in the red book. Does the 1786 narrow shield straight beam have multiple die marriages? Are any rare? What are the diagnostics to look for? How do you grade these coins? Is there a good book on the series? How much is the coin worth in various lower grades? Does anyone have pictures of lower grade coins in G to VF that are graded they could share?

I don't have a picture because it is in my safe deposit box.

Any help would be appreciated.

MrEureka

You can attribute the coin using the Maris plates, which can be found via links on this page.

hchcoin

Andy,

Thanks for the link - that is a great site.

NewEnglandRarities

Hi hchcoin,

There are many different varieties in the 1786 Narrow Shield Straight beam types. Some are rarer than others. The best place as of now to start is with the link that Andy listed for you. The value of your coin really depends on how it looks in person. If it is a common variety in rough shape/lower grade it could be worth anywhere from $30-150. If it has smooth surfaces and is in higher grade and a slightly scarcer variety it can range from $200-2000+. Without seeing the coin, it is very difficult to make any judgement on value.

Here are three different graded NJ coppers to give you an assist with grading, but grading is really different for each variety in the series based upon strike weaknesses, etc.

1786 Maris 11 1/2-G R-7 11 known examples Grade: G4/VG8



1787 Maris 28-S R-5 Grade: F15



1786 Maris 21-N Grade: VF35

llafoe

If you stay off the Turnpike, you can avoid the Coppers!

ColonialCoinUnion

If you are interested to see photos of PCGS graded NJ coppers in G to VF, I would recommend the PCGS CoinFacts site (on which there are many clear images), or, if you are not a member, then the Heritage Archives.

Aegis3

Damn! I just found out NER has a picture of that 71-y on his website, under the Collector Collection!

hchcoin

Here are the pictures. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

RWB

It's amazing what Maris did after he left baseball!

ColonialCoinUnion

Your photo angle doesn't make it easy, but it looks a 25-S.

hchcoin

<< <i>Your photo angle doesn't make it easy, but it looks a 25-S. >>



That was my guess based on the website Andy directed me to and comparing it to the coin under a loupe. It's too bad I don't have a better camera. Based on the link you provided and that my coin has less detail, I am thinking it should be worth less than the $322 from the Stack's sale. Would you agree? This seems pretty affordable based on an R-5+ rarity and only 17 known.

ColonialCoinUnion

Michel Hodder might have known of 17 in 2003, but the current rarity rating used by the Stack's cataloger of R-5+ equates to 31 - 40 or so known now. Still, that is not a NJ variety you see often.

I think that $322 result was pretty low for that coin, as it was in an auction with a long run of not so attractive NJ's, and that particular example was pretty rough.

NewEnglandRarities

<< <i>Michel Hodder might have known of 17 in 2003, but the current rarity rating used by the Stack's cataloger of R-5+ equates to 31 - 40 or so known now. Still, that is not a NJ variety you see often.

I think that $322 result was pretty low for that coin, as it was in an auction with a long run of not so attractive NJ's, and that particular example was pretty rough. >>



This is very true. The $322 result was fairly low. Your coin should be worth in the same ballpark or a bit more than the Stack's result.

The 25-S does not come to market often at all. It is a very scarce NJ variety and is basically impossible in grades above VF. There are somewhere between 30-35 examples known of the 25-S. Very cool find!

razorface1027

Nice coin that jersey penny. I came across one at a yard sale in Jersey. However, it's a 1787 camel head with pronounced shield in vf condition. It was a good day. I paid $15 for a box of foreign coinage (the box was what attracted me), only to find several U.S. coins (ie...half cents, 2 cent pieces, jersey penny, lg. cents draped bust) among the several foreign specimens. All in all it turned out to be a good day. Thought I'd share that with everyone. Also, I found two Chinese dynasty (1622 thru 1702) coins.


Tom

ColonialCoinUnion

<< <i>This seems pretty affordable based on an R-5+ rarity and only 17 known.

Michel Hodder might have known of 17 in 2003, but the current rarity rating used by the Stack's cataloger of R-5+ equates to 31 - 40 or so known now. >>



I should clarify my comment above, and explain what Stack's was referring to in the linked auction description when they said "Hodder knew of just 17 specimens in 2003"

Michael Hodder was the cataloger in Stack's landmark 2003 Ford sale of NJ coppers. When describing the Maris 25-S in that session, Hodder wrote "The cataloger has seen 17 of these." That did not mean there were only 17 known at that time, it meant he had physically seen just that many. In fact, the rarity-rating used in the 2003 Ford sale was the same R-5+ used in the January auction, so the total of known examples was then and is now 30+.

hchcoin

I also noticed the coin had a rotated reverse. Is that normal?

Thanks for all the help with this coin.

NewEnglandRarities

<< <i>I also noticed the coin had a rotated reverse. Is that normal?

Thanks for all the help with this coin. >>



Yes, rotated reverses are fairly common in the NJ copper series.