Another 1787 Fugio, Newman 9-P

Well, if vermontensium gives a grade of VF to BrickellCat's lovely N. 9-p Fugio, I thought I'd post my own, and see how you all feel it stacks up.






I've had this for nearly thirty years, since I was but a pup, but as I said in my Welcome post, haven't even seen it for nearly that long. Come to think of it, I've owned it for a little more than 10% of its existence! As I posted in BrickellCat's thread, mine is the same die marriage, but a much poorer planchet. I think that speaks to the history of the coin, though. These striations all run parallel, in the direction the copper was rolled out in the mill, where every speck of soot, or horse manure, or God knows what, was left to contaminate the metal. Perhaps they are the remains of splinters from the French gunpowder barrels from the Revolution, whose copper bands were rumored to have been scavenged for this mintage. Or perhaps the other rumor is true, that the quality copper supplied by Congress was passed on by Jarvis to better customers, and the cheapest copper was substituted for the federal contract, perhaps with Jarvis uttering for the first time that ancient quote of contractors throughout US history...

"Close enough for Government work!"