| Description: |
115.3 grains. 27.3 mm. One of the great rarities in the entire 18th-century Washingtoniana
series, a variety missing from Ford, Garrett, Collins, Picker, Robison, and many other
superb cabinets of this material. Choice glossy dark chocolate brown, smooth and even on
both surfaces. Some scattered marks and light abrasions, many pre-dating striking, tiny
nick above rim just right of 6:00, some olive toning in intricacies and a dark splash near
GEI of GEORGEIVS. A very sharp specimen for the issue, showing far more harp detail and
better eye appeal overall than the Roper coin that brought $1,155 in 1983. The two stars
on either side of the harp on the reverse, the distinctive identifier for this rare
variety, are both clear and well outlined. The obverse is now clashed and badly cracked,
clearly a later state than the single star plain edge pieces or the lettered edges
strikings that apparently followed. When cataloguing the Steinberg piece in 1989, a far
less sharp specimen that nonetheless realized $1,485, the cataloguer noted knowledge of
only the Roper specimen (also lesser quality than here) and one other. Fuld estimated six
known, Breen preferred eight. Regardless of the actual number known, we cannot recall a
recent offering nor have we ever seen a finer one than that offered here. A magnificent
early American rarity—tougher than a Higley judging by number known or frequency of
offerings—in unsurpassable grade. Yet another hallmark that the present offering is a
world-class cabinet of early Washingtoniana.
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