Very attractive glossy medium steel brown blending to chocolate brown in protected areas. The planchet is smooth and void of any contact marks. The only defects are some minor planchet flaws including a thin fissure that meanders from the C in AUCTORI through the eye to the first C in CONNEC and a very thin fissure up from the rim between the 7 & 8 in the date. In addition there is some minor chipping on the edge at the top of the reverse. The date is clear and the legends are strong. Struck with the reverse aligned crossways about 90 degrees clockwise from the normal head-to-foot orientation. The Taylor, Ford, and Perkins examples were a bit sharper but suffered from roughness, significant planchet flaws, and/or striking deficiencies. The attribution is neatly written in black ink in the field before the portrait. A condition census example that comes with a very nice provenance. Weight 132.6 grains.
Ex John Carter Brown Library, Pine Tree Auctions 5/21/1976:508-Robert M. Martin (comes with the Martin collection envelope).
