1788 Massachusetts Cent, Ryder 12-K, VERY RARE variety, PCGS certified, sharp!

Description: 1788 Massachusetts Cent. Ryder 12-K, W-6340. Low Rarity-6 [probably rarer than this]. Period After MASSACHUSETTS. Fine overall, though in a PCGS slab where this is graded VG detail. However you don’t see pleats in the Indian’s tunic, most of the eagle’s feathers, and most of CENT on its shield on a VG coin, all of which are visible here! The peripheries are a bit weaker than the central devices, and though the legends are often weak, the only letters not visible are the CHU of MASSACHUSETTS at the top of the reverse. Lighter brown, with tan devices, the surfaces very lightly rough, which accounts for the “details” grade, though we have all seen pieces with lesser surface quality make it into straight-graded holders. Regardless, this is an extremely rare variety, one that is seldom offered in any grade, and I have owned just two others of the variety in the last quarter century. Rare enough as a variety that it was missing completely from the Taylor and Norweb collections, both known for the depth of their holdings. Ford, Partrick and Syd Martin had a nice one – and I mean one: they all owned the same coin, ex Hillyer Ryder and F.C.C. Boyd; graded Unc in the Partrick sale and Choice AU in Martin it was a lovely specimen, by far the finest known, and sold for $9,000 in Martin (and just shy of $13,000 in Partrick). The cataloguer of the Martin sale astutely noted that the variety was “a challenge to locate in any grade above Fine.” When a variety is missing from great collections or when a number of those great collections share a single coin, it is a telling commentary indeed (we note that the second Ford coin was actually misattributed and was the common Ryder 10-L, something that was announced at the auction). The auction archives seem to support a higher rarity rating for this variety – there are just five other examples of Ryder 12-K in the Stack’s Bowers archives, and just three in those of Heritage. A most respectable circulated example of an underappreciated rarity, cheap at the price!This general type is pictured and listed on Page 59 of the 2024 edition of The Redbook [which has had massive pricing updates, and is now FAR more accurate than it ever has been, even though it resulted in lowering of prices for many common type coins!]. The variety is also listed in the 2020 book on colonials edited by Q. David Bowers, the Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins, as W-6340, page 213, where the variety is priced with just a few auction records. ALL items we sell are sent via insured mail [or Registered mail for items over $500]. California residents must add appropriate sales tax. The pictures are of the actual coin being offered, and have been enlarged in size to show the detail – and we have included a photo of the PCGS slab, and black and white photos as well. We have over 35 years experience as professional dealers in US colonial coinage – and another 15 years prior to that as collectors of the series as well. As always, we offer a full, no-questions-asked return policy of 30 days after receipt of the coin if it fails to meet your needs in ANY way – AND WE OFFER ONE OF THE STRONGEST RETURN GUARANTEES ON E-BAY, though it has seldom been used; please check out our Feedback Profile or e-mail any comments or questions that you may have. Thank you again for your interest, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Price: 500 USD

Location: San Diego, California

End Time: 2024-08-02T20:31:33.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD