From the Furnace Run Fugio Cent Collection, 106 coins, 53 different varieties! Offered by Shawn A. Yancey from Earlycoppercoins: 1787 N1-Z Fugio Cent PCGS F15 CAC Raised Rims Cross After Date W6610 R6+ Ford / Ayers. This coin sold for $21,150 from the Robert Ayers Collection at Stacks Bowers on 08/14/13 as lot #1333. Then it sold again at Stacks Bowers on 08/09/16, where it was lot #1206 and described as: “Important Newman 1-Z Fugio Copper Rarity. The Boyd-Ford-Ayers Specimen. 1787 Fugio Copper. Pointed Rays. Newman 1-Z, W-6610. Rarity-7. Obverse Cross After Date, No Cinquefoils, Reverse Label with Raised Rims. Fine-15 (PCGS). 152.5 grains. An impressive example of this rarity, far more choice overall than either the Retz or Craige coins, though both of those were sharper. The descriptions for this piece and the other Boyd-Ford Newman 1-Z were switched in the catalog, but this piece was described (in the listing for the previous lot, lot 233) as: ‘Both sides of this important specimen are toned in a nice, olive brown shade. The surfaces are lightly granular, but not disturbingly so. They are free from serious flaws or other detriments, and the piece is remarkably well preserved, showing no signs of accidental damage or careless handling. The obverse was struck slightly off center, to the lower left, and M in MIND and B in BUSINESS are off the flan. The reverse, by contrast, was much better centered, being slightly off to the lower right. Many of the numerals in the sundial are legible, the sun face is still bold, its rays are soft at the tops but separated at their tips, and the all important reverse legend with its raised bands on the label is completely legible.’ Among the known specimens, perhaps a dozen in number, few are choice. The Retz coin showed granularity and pitting, while the Craige piece was quite dark and granular. Norweb's appears to still be the finest known; it is beautiful and plated in the recent Newman work. The Miller-Garrett-Hancock coin is a little sharper than this one, but not much. The Kessler-Spangenberger coin is sharper, in the VF-EF range, but not as pleasing as this one. The Retz census lists one each in AU and EF (led by the Norweb coin), two in VF, and a single Fine. There are very few Newman 1-Zs to choose from and fewer still are attractive. This example should reach a level that most collectors would find stunning for a Fine-15 grade Fugio. Indeed, it is a special coin. Provenance: From the Eagle Hill Collection. Ex F.C.C. Boyd Estate; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part I, October 2003, lot 234; our sale of the Robert Ayers Collection, August 2013, lot 1333. Ford sale lot tag included.” In that 2016 auction the coin realized just $14,100. The coin has now been CAC-certified as CHOICE for the assigned grade. There are a few higher-graded examples than this one, but I would argue that this coin has the best color, surfaces, and eye appeal of the bunch. An impossibly choice example of an impossibly tough R6+ major Redbook variety – you better buy this one before I do myself! PCGS certification# 877.15/84021691.
