Houston-Money-Show-Auction-Jan-19-20,-2024

EXTREMELY RARE 1787 V23-87C

LOT 496 1787 Machin’s Mills Halfpenny Vlack 23-87C, Whitman-7980 R7 F15+ . Glossy light to medium brown with puffs of olive brown on both sides. Looks smooth to the unaided eye but there are microscopic planchet voids in the fields and protected areas. No verdigris and the best identifying marks are a shallow planchet chip at the rim above the S in GEORGIVS and a small splash of reddish brown toning under the outstretched arm of the seated figure. The surfaces and eye appeal of this example are far superior to that found on most of the less than 10 examples known of the variety (which was struck using two heavily worn dies). The first example of the variety ever offered at auction was lot 87 in the Sixth Annual C-4 Convention sale (McCawley & Grellman Auctions 11/18/2000 that brought $3740). A prize for the serious collector of this popular series of early American coinage. Weight 123.2 grains.

Discovered by Douglas Durasoff

LOT 497 1788 Machin’s Mills Halfpenny Vlack 23-88A R2 F12 . Sharpness VF25 but covered with fine to moderate granularity on all but the highpoints. Slightly glossy dark steel and olive brown. No marks or verdigris. The 17 is weak but readable; everything else is complete and clear. Listed on page 67 in the 2023 “Redbook.” Weight 116.2 grains.

LOT 499 1788 Machin’s Mills Halfpenny Vlack 23-88A R2 VG8 . Glossy light to medium chocolate with a splash of steel over the knee of the seated figure. Most of the planchet is smooth and attractive but there is a small area of shallow pitting at the rim over IT in BRITAN. In addition there is a dull pinch on the rim over the head of the seated figure that caused a minor bend in the planchet. The date is strong as is most of the legend. Listed on page 67 in the 2023 “Redbook.” Weight 97.2 grains.

LOT 498 1788 Machin’s Mills Halfpenny Vlack 23-88A R2 VG10 . Ten points sharper but lightly corroded, strongest on the left side of the obverse. No marks or verdigris. Medium olive brown and steel. The date and legends are complete and clear except for weakness due to corrosion at GEORGIVS. Weight 112.4 grains

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