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 Replies: 12 / Views: 3,321 |
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
The Republic of Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state on March 4, 1791. As the first American local government to authorize and establish a mint to produce coinage, Reuben Harmon, a prominent member of the community, as well as an entrepreneur and businessman, petitioned the House of Representatives to grant him a request to mint copper coins. His grant was approved on June 16, 1785. It stated: "The exclusive right of coining copper within this State for the term of two years". His mint house was located in Rupert, Vermont on a small stream called Millbrook as he needed to harness the water power via a waterwheel to mint his coins. The coin below is a Ryder 7 landscape variety. There was also a 1785 landscape variety as well. The obverse depicts the sun rising over the Green Mountains of Vermont with a plow in the foreground. Agriculture was a main emphasise of the lifestyle in Colonial Vermont. The motto "VERMONTENSIUM RES PUBLICA" means The Republic of Vermont. The reverse motto "QUARTA DECIMA STELLA" means The fourteenth star which referenced Vermont's desire to become the 14th state in the American Confederation. Reuben Harmon continued to produce coins from 1787-1788 but these coins would no longer depict a landscape obverse or eye and rays reverse, but rather a bust obverse and sitting figure reverse.   swcoin.ecrater.com
Edited by vermontensium
07/21/2008 06:24 am
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Rest in Peace
United States
1943 Posts |
Vermontensium, very nice coin. I have always wanted one of these.
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Moderator
United States
187662 Posts |
Hmmm... it looks an awful lot like your avatar and your user-name is on it as well!  Nice coin and thank you for the background on it!  Edited by jbuck
07/21/2008 10:41 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
 ....Very NICE COIN !! Thanks for sharing it ....  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
That's a beautiful colonial!
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
Thanks everyone! It's a really nice example minus the gouge near plow. I purchased it about 5 years ago for the nice centering and details of all legends. So many of these were slightly OC as so many Colonials are. It's graded F12 by PCGS. Last year, I had a chance to visit Rupert,Vt. with my metal detector. Turns out, Millbrook stream runs right through this womans property. I asked permission, found what looked like an old foundation near the brook, and started looking. My heart was pounding every time I got a signal. No luck that trip, just an old horse bit and some square nails. I don't think one has ever been found with a detector to my knowledge. Thanks again all! I wanted to share that with you.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
The Holy Grail  Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions http://www.ha.comWhen I can acquire this coin, or one very like it, I will have completed my collection, and not before.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
Cool. I like the reverse. I didn't even know that Vermont had it's own coinage.
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
SuperDave, that's awesome! Wow. This is definitely a Ryder 6 as evident by the suns high position and only 7 trees. The Ryder 7 has 8 trees, and the Ryder 8 has 9 trees. According to coinfacts.com, the RR6 is common, RR7 is scarce, and the RR8 is very scarce. They are all pretty rare as evidenced by the population reports. PCGS reports that only 187 1786 varieties have been graded and only 64 1785 VERMONTS and VERMONTIS varieties graded.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1231 Posts |
Maybe I need to make a trip over the river, to Vermont
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
I'll tell you Brett, it was amazing just standing where these guys had their mint 222 years ago and looking at the Green Mountains. I can't describe the feeling. I have some pictures of the trip including what might have been the original mint house on this guys farm. He let me photograph it. I'll post some if I can find on my PC.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
It's a PCGS MS62, the finest of the type that Heritage has ever auctioned. My Vermont roots go back long before that coin was minted; acquiring as complete a set as possible of the coinage of my homeland is my ultimate goal in collecting.
Someday....
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
I'm not originally from Vermont but wow, what a beautiful state. You are lucky. When you find a mid grade specimen, you'd be surprised at the price. Obviously everyone has their budget, but they are more affordable than you might think.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Replies: 12 / Views: 3,321 |
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Posted 07/21/2008 10:38 am
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