The 117 Days Of Your Best US Coin 1909-1793 + 13 Days Of Colonials And Post-Colonials!!

Two examples of the Hibernia halfpence for Ireland, many of which ended up in the Colonies -- a 1741 of George II and a 1782 of George III.

A 1797 "Cartwheel" 2d of George III. Worn condition, and countermarked on both sides! Not a colonial, but very connected to the early United States coinage.

Minted by Boulton & Watt at the Soho Mint for only two years, and designed to stem the floods of counterfeit/non-regal coppers which were plaguing circulation and commerce, these were not usually seen in the new United States, but with 45m+ minted it was inevitable that a few would find their way across the pond as trade with Britain resumed. This particular example hails from Massachusetts.

By the start of the 19th c. after only two years, but with 45m+ pieces struck, the "cartwheel" experiment was abandoned in favor of the traditional farthing/ha'penny/penny sizes used throughout the early 19th c. and that were continued through 1807.

However, copper small denomination regal issues in general would soon nearly vanish from circulation "back home"; The Royal Mint decided to concentrate on precious-metal coinage, resulting in banks, diecutters and merchants filling the copper void with halfpenny and penny trade tokens -- Conder tokens -- just as they had been doing since the 1790s, until The Royal Mint started copper coinage again in 1821.

As to Mr Boulton & Mr Watt and their firm -- their services being no longer needed by His Majesty's Mint, a look to the west and they found a willing customer for their copper planchets -- the new United States Mint...and supplied planchets for some of the early Large Cent issues up through 1812.

Thank you very much, Adam.

Nobody has posted a coin to this thread yet today, so I'll post my 5th favorite (out of five) Colonial in my collection. In a very real way, though, this is sort of like picking my 5th favorite flavor of ice cream--they are all pretty good.

Anyway, here is my New Jersey copper from 1787. My tentative attribution is Maris 43-d (Bowers W-5225), but I'd welcome some discussion on this subject from our Colonial experts.







I'm very much looking forward to these last five days of this thread! Or is it six? What are we supposed to post on July 31st @jbuck?

Spence - Just great, super color.

stevie - How about some close-ups?

Thanks! Theres nicer ones out there but this was best I could afford

WOW!! I go out of town for a few days and you all go crazy with wonderful Colonials!!

(I think I need to start re-investing in our Country's pre-Coinage coins!!)

Great Colonials Everyone

Here's another CT Colonial Miller 33.3-W.1