PCGS No: 563

Rarity: Rare

Variety equivalents:
Breen 732, Bressett 23-S

Notes:
This was the only use of the obverse die. 

The reverse die of this variety was also used on:
1788 Ryder 16
1788 Ryder 17 
1788 Ryder 24 

Dr. Edward Maris discovered this variety in 1875.  This variety earned the nick-name "Backwards C" or "Inverted C" because the C of AUCTORI was punched in upside-down!  Most examples are in low grade and on poorly prepared planchets, although some remarkable examples (such as the one illustrated above) are known.  The most highly prized examples will show as much of the C of AUCTORI as possible.

On the reverse, the date is rarely visible because it is either off the planchet or weakly struck.

Images courtesy of Ron Guth

Significant examples:
"AU-50 or finer" (illustrated above).  Ex - Henry Chapman's sale of the Matthew Stickney collection, June 1907, Lot 154, illustrated - said to be in the Stearns collection, although not part of the collection when sold by Mayflower Coin Auctions in December 1966 - Robert Vlack, who sold it privately in 1969 for $3,000 as "finest known" - Bowers & Ruddy Galleries Rare Coin Review No. 7, July 1970 - Dr. Robert I Hinckley - Bowers and Merena Galleries' "The Collections of Phillip Flannagan, Dr. Robert I. Hinckley, Dr. John C. Wong and Tree Many Feathers", November 29-December 21, 2001, Lot 2414, illustrated, "140.9 grains...26.9 mm", sold for $63,250.00

"Very Fine and choice."  Ex - Stack's "The John L. Roper, 2nd Collection", December 8-9, 1983, Lot 331, illustrated, "138.0 grains..."

Sanborn Partridge - ANA Museum

Breen - Norweb

"Fine to Very Fine".  Ex - Bowers & Ruddy, Rare Coin Review #21, September 1974, illustrated, offered at $8,700.00 - Pine Tree Auction Company, Inc.'s "The Early American Coppers Society Convention" sale, February 15, 1975, Lot 437, illustrated, "...a discovery of recent years...", sold for $6,000.00

Phelps - Ryder - Boyd

Steigerwalt (1904) - Ryder - Boyd.  Pictured in the 1914 ANS catalogue, Plate 8

Gerard Cuthbert

Bowers & Merena's "Frontenac" sale, Lot 116.  Roy Bonjour presented a listing of 20 known examples here.

ANS.  Pictured in Richardson

Henry Chapman's "John Story Jenks" sale, 1921

"Good-4".  Ex - Richard August - Tony Terranova - Q. David Bowers - Bowers & Merena's "Rare Coin Review #49" - Frealon Bibbins - McCawley & Grellman's "Seventh Annual C-4 Convention Sale", November 10, 2001, Lot 299, illustrated, sold for $3,080.00

"About Good".  Ex - Canfield collection, presented to the American Numismatic Society in 1931 by the New Jersey Historical Society - Mid-American Rare Coin Auctions, Inc.'s "The Bluegrass Collection", May 18-19, 1984, Lot 53, illustrated, "...Holed twice in the centers...", sold for $495

Sources and/or recommended reading:
"Copper Coins of Vermont" by Tony Carlotto

"The Colonial Coins of Vermont" by Hillyer Ryder

"Vermont Copper Coinage" by Kenneth Bressett (Chapter 11 in "Studies on Money in Early America" by Eric P. Newman and Richard C. Doty)

"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia Of U.S. And Colonial Coins" by Walter Breen