A RARE 1787 CONNECTICUT HALFPENNY IN INCREDIBLE SHAPE!!!

[Erik in NJ]

This Victorian-era property I have been working this past weekend in my town has turned out to be a Colonial oasis. I have found many several Colonial firsts on this property which has been a real surprise and I believe is due to the remains of an old mill which is in the area. I will save those items for future posts, but wanted to share this incredible Connecticut halfpenny, which based on the decorator used in the die makes it rare or very rare coin to boot. It displayed on my Explorer SE Pro like a silver quarter, probably because it's in such good shape. Large coppers in northern NJ rarely if ever come out of the ground looking like this! I am also excited because it is my first colonial State copper in over twelve years of detecting. I have not nailed down the exact variety and have included photos and scans, neither of which really do the coin any justice. It is stuck off center and the date in cut in half, but due to the few years in which this coin was minted it must be a 1787 and there were over 200 varieties of this coin in that year! Please also note the die crack which goes through the letters "AUCT". This copper is the "Draped Bust" variety. Also note the very interesting look of the eye.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[rmbutcher4]

Man that is a sweet coin. Good job

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[Erik in NJ]

Without a doubt one of the best looking coppers I've ever seen dug. Congrats on an awesome find.

Thank you Erving--that's quite a nice compliment!

 

[Michiganne]

Beauty of a copper, Erik! Regardless of value, an awesome dig. Nice save!

Banner vote is in.

HH
p.s. Looking forward to more photos.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Beauty of a copper, Erik! Regardless of value, an awesome dig. Nice save!

Banner vote is in.

HH
p.s. Looking forward to more photos.

Hi Anne! Thanks for your kind post and banner vote!! I will try and get better photos tonight--tried my wife's Nikon D90 last night but I could not get the camera to focus on the coin. I have a lens with a macro setting that I'll try to get some better photos with.

 

[NJdiggergirls]

Wow, great find Erik! We are from NJ too, originally from Wayne but living in the Trenton area. Any pointers regarding digging in and around old homes?

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

That is an incredible find Erik!! I could never hope in my wildest dreams that I would dig a copper in that kind of condition down here, much less a rare one. Congrats on a very unique find.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Wow, great find Erik! We are from NJ too, originally from Wayne but living in the Trenton area. Any pointers regarding digging in and around old homes?

Hi from Bergen County! I sent you "guys" a PM

 

[Erik in NJ]

That is an incredible find Erik!! I could never hope in my wildest dreams that I would dig a copper in that kind of condition down here, much less a rare one. Congrats on a very unique find.

Hi Bill. It's highly unusual for large coppers to come out of the soil here in nice condition...the soil here is very rough on copper for some reason....I dug a KG III halfpenny yesterday at the same site that was completely toasted. So I was just fortunate that somehow this one remained relatively unscathed. Of course you have all the other wonderful finds there in VA that *I* can only dream of! Thanks for your kind words on this find Bill!

 

[strateloss]

Wow bud!! Awesome find!! That copper is in amazing shape for being in the Jersey soil! My colonial was barely recognizable. Great save! Voted banner!

 

[BuckleBoy]

That has to be the finest grade Connecticut copper I've ever seen posted anywhere (although I've seen a couple that were close).

KILLER Recovery there!


Cheers,

Buck

 

[Erik in NJ]

Wow bud!! Awesome find!! That copper is in amazing shape for being in the Jersey soil! My colonial was barely recognizable. Great save! Voted banner!

Thanks strateloss for the banner vote!! Yeah I just got lucky with this one... Thanks for your kind words brother!

 

[Erik in NJ]

That has to be the finest grade Connecticut copper I've ever seen posted anywhere (although I've seen a couple that were close).

KILLER Recovery there!

Cheers,

Buck

Wow, thanks Buck for the fervent compliment! I have a couple of Colonial buckles found at same site that I have yet to post....looking forward to your input on those. I thought I'd post this one first as not to take away from the other items. Best, Erik

 

[Iron Patch]

That has to be the finest grade Connecticut copper I've ever seen posted anywhere (although I've seen a couple that were close).

KILLER Recovery there!


Cheers,

Buck

That's the one you want to hit an R 8-10! Even dug, looking like that you'd be cashing in a very nice five figure paycheck. And no way it's only going to be 10k. There's coppers that rare out there, just need to be found, and ID'ed!

 

[Iron Patch]

Check out this rarity 8. Imagine if that was your variety!

Stack's Bowers Galleries - Lot #7413 - 1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 49.2-Z.26, W-4320. Rarity-8, Unique. Draped Bust Facing Left. VG-8.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Check out this rarity 8. Imagine if that was your variety!

Stack's Bowers Galleries - Lot #7413 - 1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 49.2-Z.26, W-4320. Rarity-8, Unique. Draped Bust Facing Left. VG-8.

Wow! That's just crazy

 

[granthansen]

Wow! That's just crazy

Maybe you should reconsider selling lol!! Holy moly!!

BTW, looks like I may be free for a few hours on Saturday after all!!

 

[fmerg]

wow that one great copper
banner for sure

 

[Erik in NJ]

wow that one great copper
banner for sure

Thank you Frank for the banner vote and kind words! Nice to hear from a guy that finds the number of coppers per year that you do!

 

[Don in SJ]

Check out this rarity 8. Imagine if that was your variety!

Stack's Bowers Galleries - Lot #7413 - 1787 Connecticut Copper. Miller 49.2-Z.26, W-4320. Rarity-8, Unique. Draped Bust Facing Left. VG-8.

Yes, there is always hope with the Conn coppers since there were so dang many varieties minted, and new ones still being discovered to this day. I remember back in 1987 my son's first State Copper was a Conn and it was a great one, at the time only 2-3 were known, now a few more. 1787 Miller 36-k.3, he was only 17 when he found that rare one.

 

[granthansen]

Erik, I'm interested to know (and see) if you took better pics last night. If so please share!