 1786 New Jersey Copper. Maris 23-R. Rahway Mint. Choice About Uncirculated, nearly Uncirculated. As with most 23-R's, parts of the surfaces are peppered with tiny planchet striae, especially at the centers, where the strike is the weakest. Surfaces are chocolate brown and very glossy and lustrous. In fact, on the envelope from New Netherlands stamped ''PARMELEE 1890'' there is a note (probably in Bareford's hand) that reads ''some mint red.'' At this point, that mint red has gone the way of the dodo, but the eye appeal remains.
The obverse is well centered, with denticulation visible all around its circumference, while the reverse is centered towards the lower right. Forever hallmarking this well pedigreed specimen are two large depressions at the upper right obverse that probably started out as rough planchet flaws and were skillfully smoothed at some point in its numismatic life. Here is a wonderful opportunity to acquire not only a very high grade New Jersey Copper but also one that has passed through the hands of many a numismatic luminary.
Ex Lorin G. Parmelee Collection (New York Coin & Stamp Co., June 1890, lot 397); Dr. Thomas Hall; Virgil Brand Collection; New Netherlands Coin Company; Harold Bareford on October 25, 1951; Harold Bareford Collection of NJ Coppers, part of the Greater New York Numismatic Convention Sale - Part I (Stack's, May 1984, lot 134).
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