No less a reaction than utter astonishment can accompany thorough examination of this remarkable Connecticut copper, attributed as a common 1787 Miller 33.2-Z.5. Amazingly, this coin is double struck with almost 90 degrees rotation between strikes over a partial brockage -- a wacky situation that requires one to ponder the bizarre sequence of circumstances necessary to lead to such a result. Looking at the obverse from normal orientation, the final, dominant strike was quite nice and just a bit off center to the left. AUCTORI is situated well onto the planchet, and CONNEC: is close to the right edge, but was fully delineated by the strike. However, the outline of secondary profile can be seen lying sideways across the primary bust! Furthermore, "EC" appears at the very bottom of the primary bust, clearly a remnant of the original strike.Flipping the coin over in coin alignment, the appearance seems fairly mundane at first glance, but a second look discovers "NEC:*" neatly incused and inverted into the area of the effigy's head, proving that the planchet was brockaged by another already-struck coin. So to summarize the probable sequence of events, the coin was first brockaged, producing a normal obverse and incused reverse. This was noticed by the coiners, who removed the brockaging coin, then re-inserted this planchet back into the press at about 90 degree rotation and struck it a second time. If only the brockaging coin could be found!
From the standpoint of grade, no commentary need be given, since "grade" is not really relevant to a major error like this. Rather, an overall impression of appearance may prove more valuable. The odd overall color scheme adds just another dimension to the singular character, as it is not coppery at all, but rather appears more like the olive-grey seen on silver coins. There are two triangular marks on the effigy that appear at first to be claw marks, but on second look, they have more the appearance of counter stamps!! Can things get any weirder? The date has fallen partly off the flan, but even if it had been fully struck, the brockage effect ensures distortion of the digits anyway. Planchet quality overall must have been very favorable, as this is a smooth and nicely pearl-textured coin, and there is no corrosion noticeable anywhere at all, except in the recesses of the presumed obverse counter stamps. Weird? Yes. Collectable? Most definitely!