I purchased it as a VF, which I think it's a VF20/VF25. PCGS has a few in their Coinfacts to compare to as does Heritage & Stack's/Bowers Auctions. But then again it's a toss up when slabbing these. I'm not really sure how the graders evaluate them as you all said not many are very aware of them and these aren't something coming through the doors at the
TPG everyday. But they aren't really all that expensive, ranging in this condition from $75 to $200. I paid under $100 for my example. There are quite a few selling all the time on
ebay and through various colonial and early copper dealers.
Here are a few photos from PCGS in various grades:
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin...n/images/589Walter Breen believed that this issue was produced in Dublin in the 1810's and was shipped to the United States to help alleviate the coinage shortage that resulted from the War of 1812. Still researching these myself, collectors can find them in the
RedBook and in Canadian references as Breton 1013, LeRoux 63 and Corteau 1& 2.
Breton has one of the more complete writings on this piece, he classified it under the heading of "Anonymous and Miscellaneous Tokens" and gives it a rarity rating of 1 (the most common) there are also known examples struck in brass and those are quite scarce. Noted gold expert Douglas Winter wrote a really well researched article for the
ANA's Numismatist in March 1978. In his reference list, I found another article written in 1938, but not much information other than they were made in Dublin, likely after 1812, then circulated fairly heavily in Canada and America, also they were confused by collectors as being isued from the Bank of North America in Philadelphia.
Quote:
From the 1937 Numismatist article/letter by RFJ:
The Bank of North America was chartered in 1781 by the Continental Congress, but did not open for business until Jan. 7, 1782. True, it was the first bank under our present government, but it had nothing to do whatever with this token, and it was not responsible for its issue, for the simple reason that, in spite of the date shown, it was struck in Dublin, Ireland, many years later.
The obverse shows a seated figure of Hibernia facing left, with harp on right, and with the antedate "1781" beneath. The reverse has a two-masted ship sailing to left, with a Union Jack (British) flag flying at the stern, and the word "Commerce" above.
Would any loyal American have issued for circulation during the Revolutionary War this typical British coin — two years before the treaty of peace was signed?
The dies for this token were cut by the Mossops, (father and son), die cutters of Dublin, many years later. The piece shows plainly its Irish nationality, and, like many other Irish tokens issued in earlier days, found a home and resting place in Canada and the United States because of the scarcity of small change, after the Irish people refused to accept or use them as coins.
No record shows exactly when these pieces were shipped to America, but they must have been sent in large quantities, as they have always been quite common.
Quote:
Noted author and numismatatist Ron Guth has this to say on them:
The exact source of the 1781 North American Tokens is unknown and has been attributed to Ireland because of the presence of a harp on the obverse. However, the tokens are similar to some contemporary Canadian tokens, so this is another possibility. Regardless of their source or where they circulated, the North American tokens have been accepted into the canon of U.S. "Colonial" coins. As such, there is considerable demand for them.
Most examples are softly struck and others show raised lines in the fields (especially on the reverse) caused in the preparation of the dies. Q. David Bowers believes these anomalies were intended to make the coins more commercially acceptable, but it may just be a case of poor die preparation and a weak coining press. Either way, the surfaces of the coins become increasingly important components of the grade. Full Mint State examples may not exist. The finest example certified by PCGS is a single PCGS AU58+.
"Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013!
ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector.
See my want page:
http://goccf.com/t/140440
Posted 08/29/2023 08:15 am
