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1723-Q [Perpignan Mint] John Law Sol.

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:300.00 CAD Estimated At:750.00 - 800.00 CAD
1723-Q [Perpignan Mint] John Law Sol.
SOLD
300.00CAD+ buyer's premium (60.00)
This item SOLD at 2019 May 08 @ 10:03UTC-4 : AST/EDT

Buyer’s Premiums will be added on all items as per the Terms & Conditions of the sale. Invoices will be emailed out after The Toronto Coin Expo.

1723-Q [Perpignan Mint] John Law Sol, another. Very Fine, struck on a crudely prepared planchet that shows flaws from the annealing process, though the surfaces are surprisingly hard. Generally well struck, the legends full, a few reverse letters weak but there, the base of the Q mintmark weak as is often the case, and nice design detail for the grade. The present example is an extremely rare variety within the very common 1723-dated type, as it features the distinct hat different instead of the commonly-seen trefoil on most issues of this date. That engraver’s mark belongs to Louis Brodus II who apparently became chief engraver in 1725; Smith argues that it was used rarely before that when Brodus was an assistant engraver, and the present example certainly lends credence to that theory since it clearly the work of someone not yet skilled in the art of die making! The legends are sloppily laid out with the letters all out of alignment, the date crowded close together and with an amateurish look overall. Brodus’ skill would improve, but not by much, and Smith charitably calls the issues of this mint “rustic.” An extremely rare variety that will excite the specialist. While Smith lists 75 examples of the 1723 date in his census of Sols, he doesn’t break it down into which ones are with the hat mark; a clue is provided by his comment that “the hat mark occurs, albeit rarely, before 1725.” We have seen but one other with the hat different for this date, and it is certainly an extremely rare issue.