In a small U.S. colonial coin consignment from a Midwestern collector that at first glance appeared to be rather mundane, a numismatist at Stack’s made a once in a lifetime find that is certain to reverberate throughout the entire colonial coin collecting community. An unattributed assortment of middle grade colonial type coins proved to include a Fugio Cent struck using a heretofore unpublished reverse die. The coin in question weighs 167.9 grains and is a smooth, medium brown Fine to Very Fine example bearing the familiar Newman 13 obverse.

Unlike any of the other reverse dies that were previously known to be married to Obverse 13 (namely reverses KK, N, R, and X, all of which exhibit the circular reverse legend arranged with STATES at left and UNITED at right), this discovery coin displays the circular reverse legend with UNITED at left and STATES at right.

The position of the central legend WE ARE ONE bears unmistakable differences to that of any of the prior known UNITED STATES Fugio reverses and has been named “JJ” by Eric Newman. Both the right foot of the W and the left base of the E in WE gently touch the top of the R in ARE. The right base of the E in WE nearly touches the top of the upright of the E in ARE. The A in ARE furthermore, displays an unusually long left base. The dies are oriented “medal turn.”

This presently unique Newman 13-JJ Fugio cent will be offered for sale in Stack’s upcoming January 15-16, 2008 Americana Public Auction Sale. Among many other important consignments scheduled to be sold in this auction is the first in a series of offerings containing selections from the Estate of Michael K. Ringo. It seems quite fitting that this Fugio Cent will appear in the same sale as this initial offering of Mike’s coins, as he was the last numismatist to discover a new Fugio Cent variety (Newman 10-OO) some ten years ago.

For more information on this coin or the Stack’s January 15-16, 2008 Americana Sale, please contact Stack’s, 123 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, toll-free: 800-566-2580, email: auction@stacks.com.

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