Owner Comments:
Pictured above is a 1788 Bust Right Vermont copper graded XF 45 BN, and assigned the RR-25 (Ryder/Richardson), and Bressett 16-U designations, respectively. The coin has a respectable provenance, having once been part of the Ted Craige and Donald G. Partrick collections. The quality of this copper's planchet is unusually high for a Vermont of this variety. It exhibits boldly struck deep rich brown glossy surfaces, with remaining luster, strong hair and facial details, has almost ideally centered devices on both sides, and is unmarked from circulation. The portrait of George III on the obverse is larger than that typically found on Vermont coppers, nearly touching the top rim. Although not emphatically exhibited on the example shown above, many specimens feature a dramatic sinking of the die above the head, and a diagnostic small rectangular die break on the breast plate, at the juncture between the effigy's neck and mail. This variety also features some unique punctuation. There is an "x" following each word in the legends on both the obverse and reverse. On high end examples, distinctly visible fingers can be seen on the reverse figure's hand holding a branch, together with the high shield style. A single line separates the date from the seated figure above.
In describing this Partrick piece, the Heritage catalogue notes that the production of the RR-25 variety was split between the Rupert mint in Vermont and the Machin Mills mint in Newburgh, New York. Thereafter, it is suggested that this may have been one of the final Rupert mint issues before all production was moved to New York.
At Machin Mills, many of this variety were overstruck on poor, dark, and granular counterfeit Irish and English halfpennies. The overstrikes are rarer than those previously struck on regular planchets.