Posted 11/09/2021 3:39 pm
Conder, Interesting observations. I should have clarified one thing better. Since there is indeed a difference in the numismatic world between "Colonial" and "early", I should have more accurately referred to the circulation of the cartwheel during early 1800's. My understanding is that it was only minted in 1797. It must have circulated here at some point during the early 1800's and I assume that merchants of that time still had to conduct trade based upon the weight of a particular metal and not the denomination. As you can see, my example is heavily circulated and I was barely able to identify it. My assumption was that if say a 1800 Bust Cent was only worth 1 cent of copper at the time, then the much heavier cartwheel must have been worth almost three times as much. Even though the US mint began striking coinage in 1792, would not the foreign coinage still be of circulating value during the early 1800's? I don't know, just an interesting thought to ponder. Whenever I handle any old coin I always wonder who's hands it had been through.
