PCGS No: 551

Rarity: Very Scarce

Variety equivalents:
Breen 715, Crosby 2-A, Breen-Bressett 8-G

Notes:
This was the only use of the obverse die.

This was the only use of the reverse die.

Breen called this variety "R-5" in the 1975 EAC Pine Tree Sale.  Bressett estimates the number extant to be 60-70 pieces.  The true number is probably closer to 100 or more (a Vermont specialist once showed me over a dozen nice examples of this variety).

On the surface, Bressett's Condition Census of 20-12 appears to be somewhat low.  The principal objections to the Census are raised by collectors who own some nicely detailed early states.  Almost invariably, however, the Ryder 10 comes with significant detractions such as planchet voids, granularity, porosity, undersized planchets, poor centering, etc.  The Ryder 10 is seldom found nice and examples on glossy, brown planchets are incredibly rare.  Thus, Bressett's average grade of 12 for the second through the sixth finest known examples is reasonable, although the finest known example would probably have a net grade in the 30-40 range.

Observed weight range: 101.6 to 123.2 grains

Die states:
Early examples show strong legends and reasonably sharp design details (see Bressett plate coin).  Well struck early examples infrequently show a single wheat sheaf on the reverse (see Picker and EAC '75).  Late states show a fin crack running upwards from the E in VERMON into the left obverse field.  Design definition suffers on later issues. 

Images courtesy of Ron Guth

Sources and/or recommended reading:
"Copper Coins of Vermont" by Tony Carlotto

"The Colonial Coins of Vermont" by Hillyer Ryder

"Vermont Copper Coinage" by Kenneth Bressett (Chapter 11 in "Studies on Money in Early America" by Eric P. Newman and Richard C. Doty)

"Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia Of U.S. And Colonial Coins" by Walter Breen