 Undated (circa 1667) St. Patrick (Mark Newby) Farthing. Breen 208. Nothing below king. Reeded edge. 101.3 gns. Uncirculated. The most amazing St. Patrick farthing we have seen. Surfaces are a glossy, lustrous mahogany brown and are of a quality not encountered on coins of this series, which are usually well worn, porous, and generally wretched looking! The strike is uncommonly bold, and the centering is perfect, with denticles visible around 100% of the circumference of both sides. A touch of cabinet friction is noted, as are some old marks that are inconsequential when presented with the sheer eye appeal of this coin. The brass splasher is well centered below the crown and is of a metallic olive-gold hue, with some of the usual verdigris encountered around the splasher. The legends clearly read FLOREAT :REX: / QVIESCAT PLEBS:
In a review of the major collections of colonial coins, the present specimen has a rival only in the Crosby-Maris Uncirculated coin that is lot 1385 of the Garrett Collection. The Picker, Roper, Robison, Griffee and Ford coins do not hold a candle to this coin, and the high grade Norweb coins are either rougher or less well struck. This coin would easily land at or near the top of a St. Patrick farthing condition census, if ever there was one. Here is the ultimate type coin that is the perfect copper example for the study of the complicated design elements, as they are here so clearly defined. For example, we can easily make out St. Patrick's eyes, nose and mouth!
As in the Ruder Sale of 1987, we repeat the classic 1953 New Netherlands description of this coin: ''The regular type, but in a remarkable preservation. Marked by Henry Chapman as Uncirculated, at a cost of $70.00. While it evidently has never seen circulation, there are a few minor signs of handling and a reverse edge bruise right of the church. Beautiful rich brown patina. Of the greatest rarity in this condition, and we do not recall ever having seen or heard of an equal one.'' We must note that the ''edge bruise'' noted is merely an inherent flaw in the planchet. The consignor to the NN sale was an ''L.R.'' of Carmel, NY. Perhaps this was a clever transposition of the initials of Robert Lathrop of Carmel, NY?
Ex L.S. Ruder Collection Auction (Stack's, September 1987, lot 139); earlier from the ''L.R. Consignment, Carmel, N.Y. in New Netherlands 40th Sale, May 1953, lot 796); Henry Chapman.
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