1787 New Jersey copper 1/2p M54-k W5295 Serpent Head R3 PCGS AU53 E Pluribus Unum

From the 08/16/23 Stacks sale of the E Pluribus Unum Collection Part 4, where this coin was lot #3091 and described as: “Nice AU Serpent Head Maris 54-k.  1787 New Jersey Copper. Maris 54-k, W-5295. Rarity-3. Serpent Head. AU-53 (PCGS).  92.0 grains. A particularly high-grade specimen of this famous and popular variety. Glossy medium brown with traces of frost and nicely contrasting tan devices. Well centered and fully struck, both unusual characteristics for this variety, where NOVA is often weak and the date is a mere suggestion. This date is spectacularly bold. Some little striations and laminations are seen, most notably including a horizontal striation at the right obverse that passes through the second E of CAESAREA. A bit of old encrustation is present within the legends, but no bad marks or other serious post striking flaws. While not quite as nice as the AU-55+ (PCGS) or AU-55 (PCGS) specimens in the 2019 EPU offering, this is a very nice example of a variety everyone wants.  Provenance: From the E Pluribus Unum Collection. Earlier from the F.C.C. Boyd and John J. Ford, Jr. collections; our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Chris Schenkel Collection, November 1990, lot 5462.”  PCGS #766278.53/47842326 with “Serpent Head, Maris 54-k,” and “Boyd-Ford” listed on the label.  This coin realized $3,840 in that auction, and my asking price on my website and eBay is $7,500, which equals the PCGS Price Guide.