1787 N2-C Fugio Cent NGC AU FUCIO Club Rays Concave Ends W6630 R6

From the Furnace Run Fugio Cent Collection, 106 coins, 53 different varieties!  Offered by Shawn A. Yancey from Earlycoppercoins: 1787 N2-C Fugio Cent NGC AU FUCIO Club Rays Concave Ends W6630 R6.  From the Stacks Bowers auction of 04/04/22, lot #1228, and described as: “High Grade FUCIO, Newman 2-C.  Ex Collector "X.”  1787 Fugio Cent. Club Rays. Newman 2-C, W-6630. Rarity-6-. Concave Ends, FUCIO, UNITED STATES. EF Details--Graffiti (PCGS).  176.0 grains. An impressive and intriguing example of the famous and very rare FUCIO variety. This otherwise lovely coin displays an intentional marking in the left obverse field, a neat "X" with line below, believed to be the branding of an ill-advised early collector. This unmistakable symbol has been seen on as many as a dozen early U.S. coins, almost all notable rarities. Included among these are a Standish Barry Threepence we recently sold (November 2021 Baltimore Auction, lot 2123), a Transposed Arrows 1787 Massachusetts cent, a high grade 1803 large cent brockage, and several others. If one looks past the unfortunate yet interesting marking, this would be a significant and Condition Census example of this major Guide Book variety and a coin that offers considerable overall eye appeal. The surfaces are smooth and unflawed, the color a pleasing golden-brown with olive highlights in the recesses of the design. Well struck and the C in FUCIO is bold. The full EF sharpness on display here is about as good as it gets for this variety. The census is topped by a few coins that might barely make AU, but no truly mint state examples are known. All told, here is a desirable example of the rare Concave Ends Club Rays, FUCIO variety with much to recommend it, including or in spite of the engraving applied by a mysterious early collector.  Provenance: From the Star of Texas Collection.” In that sale, the coin realized $16,800 as PCGS EF Details Graffiti, and the coin is now in an NGC AU Details Obv. Graffiti holder.  Purchased from HLRC in 2023.  NGC certification# 6691016-001.