1694 Token Elephant, Proprieters God Preserve Carolina, BN MS(PCGS#70)

Spring 2023 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

1228

等级

F12BN

价格

127,122

详细说明

Very Rare PROPRIETERS Carolina Elephant Token Only Seven Known 1694 Carolina Elephant Token. Hodder 1-E, W-12100, Breen-191, Betts-78. Rarity-7. PROPRIETERS. Fine-12 (PCGS). 147.6 grains. An outstanding rarity in this series, seen only when major cabinets are sold. Attractive mahogany and tan with the merest traces of bright, ancient gilding remaining in protected areas. The tip of the tail is one bright spot, with other remnants seen around the trunk and in the grass below the elephant. On the reverse, a bit of gilding remains at the left periphery among the denticles, with some less prominent vestiges elsewhere. Significant wear is seen, softening the details at the central reverse, but PROPRIETERS is complete; only the letter S is a bit weak. Some small rim nicks are seen around both sides, along with the usual contact marks expected at this grade, but the overall look is very pleasing. The centering is ideal on both sides, and a full frame of denticles surrounds the reverse. The census of this variety has been pretty well set for decades. There are seven known. In the Norweb sale, Michael Hodder got the count right while double counting the Newman coin and missing Robison's. In the Ford sale, the count was increased to eight (to correct the omission), but it wasn't until the Newman coin - this specimen - appeared at auction in 2014 that specialists knew that the "one said to be gilt, ex Brand Collection" and the Newman example were the same coin. Those seven are as follows: 1.The magnificent Gem Ford coin (Stack's, May 2004, lot 261). Ex Clay, Parmelee, Parsons, Garrett. 2.The Archangel coin (Stack's Bowers Galleries, October 2018, lot 7046). MS-63 BN (PCGS). Ex Appleton-MHS-1976 ANA. 3.The Norweb coin (Bowers and Merena, October 1987, lot 1235). Graded AU-55, prooflike at the time. 4.The Partrick coin (Heritage, January 2021, lot 3900). Purchased from Bowers and Merena's Rare Coin Review#61 in 1986. AU-58 (NGC). 5.The Roper coin (Stack's, December 1983, lot 142). EF or better today, with a couple scratches above the elephant. Ford's duplicate, ex. Boyd. 6.This coin, ex Brand and Newman. F-12 (PCGS). 7.The Robison coin (Stack's, February 1982, lot 58). Partrick's duplicate. F-12 (NGC). Only two of these have been certified by PCGS, this example and the Mint State Archangel coin. While the more often seen PROPRIETORS reverse (always with an O punched over E) is more common, it too is scarce and popular. This variety, presumably struck first, ranks among the most important types in colonial numismatics from this era. Provenance: From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex the Virgil Brand Collection; Brand Estate, 1926; unknown intermediaries; Oliver E. Futter Collection; B. Max Mehl's sale of November 1954, lot 2049; Eric P. Newman Collection; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society; Heritage's sale of the Eric P. Newman Collection, May 2014, lot 30326. To view supplemental information and all items from the Sydney F. Martin Collection, click here. PCGS# 70. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.