Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature US Coin Sale 1258 2-6 Aug 2017
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Colonials
1787 N YORK New York Excelsior Copper, Indian and New York Arms, W-5795, High R.6, VF20 PCGS. 172.5 grains. Although several people approached the New York legislature for the right to provide the state with a copper coinage, the lawmakers never granted such a privilege, preferring to regulate the coinage already in use. However, that didn't stop private coiners from continuing their work. Machin's Mills, eventually merging with Reuben Harmon, Jr. of Vermont coinage fame, was one of those private coiners. Ephraim Brasher and John Bailey also coined copper coinage in New York.
The rarity of the Excelsior coppers and related issues, including the NON VI Washington piece, the Clinton copper, and the Indian issues, suggests that all of those issues are trial pieces that were never intended for circulation, and less than 100 examples survive of all those varieties, combined. Only the distantly related Nova Eborac pieces were actually produced for use in commerce.
Approximately one dozen examples of this highly important colonial variety are known and a few of those are holed or otherwise impaired. The opportunity to acquire a pleasing piece with Choice surfaces, such as the example offered here, is rarer than the coin itself. The splendid olive-brown surfaces are virtually mark free, with a tiny dent on the Indian's torso but no other marks that are worthy of mention. Listed on page 67 of the 2018 Guide Book. PCGS Population: 1, 3 finer (6/17).
Ex: John G. Mills Collection (Chapman Brothers, 4/1904), lot 348; John Story Jenks Collection (Henry Chapman, 12/1921), lot 5493; Donald Groves (Partrick) Sale (Stack's, 11/1974), lot 336; Henry P. Kendall Foundation (Stack's, 3/2015), lot 2511.
From The Don Willis Collection of US Colonial Coinage
HID02901242017
1787 N YORK New York Excelsior Copper, Indian and New York Arms, W-5795, High R.6, VF20 PCGS. 172.5 grains. Although several people approached the New York legislature for the right to provide the state with a copper coinage, the lawmakers never granted such a privilege, preferring to regulate the coinage already in use. However, that didn't stop private coiners from continuing their work. Machin's Mills, eventually merging with Reuben Harmon, Jr. of Vermont coinage fame, was one of those private coiners. Ephraim Brasher and John Bailey also coined copper coinage in New York.
The rarity of the Excelsior coppers and related issues, including the NON VI Washington piece, the Clinton copper, and the Indian issues, suggests that all of those issues are trial pieces that were never intended for circulation, and less than 100 examples survive of all those varieties, combined. Only the distantly related Nova Eborac pieces were actually produced for use in commerce.
Approximately one dozen examples of this highly important colonial variety are known and a few of those are holed or otherwise impaired. The opportunity to acquire a pleasing piece with Choice surfaces, such as the example offered here, is rarer than the coin itself. The splendid olive-brown surfaces are virtually mark free, with a tiny dent on the Indian's torso but no other marks that are worthy of mention. Listed on page 67 of the 2018 Guide Book. PCGS Population: 1, 3 finer (6/17).
Ex: John G. Mills Collection (Chapman Brothers, 4/1904), lot 348; John Story Jenks Collection (Henry Chapman, 12/1921), lot 5493; Donald Groves (Partrick) Sale (Stack's, 11/1974), lot 336; Henry P. Kendall Foundation (Stack's, 3/2015), lot 2511.
From The Don Willis Collection of US Colonial Coinage
HID02901242017