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 Replies: 17 / Views: 1,441 |
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
This is my first time posting I have a lot of other coins I want to share but this one came up yesterday when I finally found it again. I found this 50 years ago in my grammas chicken pen and was smart enough to save it as a young lad even though I didn't know what it was until just yesterday. My problem now is finding information on it. There is some out there mostly about the copper version there were 4 varieties I believe 3 silver 1 copper, I have the 1783 Nova Constellatio 500 unit in silver. I know these were the first introduced as a national currency but was never approved or circulated. So how did this coin get lost in central Connecticut? There is a cut mark on the coin both sides, my theory is someone tried to cut the coin in half when it got away from them and lost. I know there are very few known in existence, but I have one in my hand. Trying to get a photo uploaded not photo friendly.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1230 Posts |
Would love to see a picture.
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New Member
 United States
16 Posts |
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
I've been working with my AI to work up a cataloguing of the coin:
Coin Catalog Entry: Nova Constellatio Quint (500 Unit)
Identifier: Rediscovered childhood coin Date: 1783 Denomination: 500 Units (Quint) Diameter: 28.0 mm Weight: 8.36 g Composition: Presumed silver
Metal Detector Reading: High VDI consistent with silver conductivity
Test Conditions: Standard coil, dry sand, no mineral interference
Interpretation: Supports silver alloy; aligns with known Quint specs
Obverse: Radiant eye within constellation of stars (partially visible) Reverse: Wreath design; center worn, partial "U" visible above denomination Edge: [To be confirmed—plain, reeded, or lettered] Surface Condition: Moderate corrosion; natural silver patina with gray toning Anomalies:
Lateral indentation consistent with cutting plier strike
Possible post-mint damage from attempted division or repurposing
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Moderator
 United States
15403 Posts |
 to the CCF Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1879 Posts |
very rare coin--do you plan on having it conserved--keep us posted--thanks--verry interesting--
Edited by mikev50
09/01/2025 2:06 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1657 Posts |
Sorry to say this is not one of the rare pattern pieces. It is one of the privately minted tokens imported into the US from Britain. This one is a 1783 Crosby 2-B which is one of the more common varieties. First, this coin is copper, not silver. Google a picture of both the rare pattern and a 1783 Crosby 2-B. Remember these were all struck by one die so it has to match exactly. Look how the lettering lines up with the rays on one side and the leaves in the wreath on the other. It is totally different than the 500 quint but a perfect match for Crosby 2-B. I've been collecting Novas by die variety for a year or so and have developed a pretty good eye for them even in low grade.
Edited by lcutler
09/01/2025 5:25 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11880 Posts |
The quint is a unique pattern coin which was bought by Kagin's 12 years ago. Like @lcutler says, this is a 1783 nova constellatio copper. I own a high grade version of this coin which can be seen in this link here: https://goccf.com/t/442642IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: " It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website: https://fairfaxcoins.com |
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
Looks like I came to the right place a local blogger recommended this forum "Treasure Beaches Report".
So I know this is probably not the rare pattern pieces but what is it?
Icutler was correct to point out the wording Nova Constellatio pattern is from the B-2 however inside the wreath I can see signs of a U and a 5 I will post photos also the leaves are detailed like the 500 Quint and I am pretty sure it is silver it rang up on my metal detector exactly like my 1600s 8 Reale. I will also post dimensions and weight.
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
Here is a theory on the pair of cutter marks on the coin: This somehow was produced in silver but with the copper starburst. Traders or merchants would cut into it to verify the silver.
If it's silver, I was going to scratch test it but my AI copilot compared it to carving your initials into a Stradivariuses just to prove it's wood. My last coin I took to a pawn shop for an XRF.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11880 Posts |
Quint did not have the NOVA CONSTELLATIO inscription.  IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: " It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website: https://fairfaxcoins.comEdited by numismatic student
09/01/2025 10:52 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1657 Posts |
Everything I see is normal Crosby 2-B. The etching of the corrosion can leave all kinds of marks that could be interpreted as something that really isn't there. I just see no way this is silver, it has the usual look of copper that has been buried, silver never corrodes like that. The weight is absolutely spot on for copper, silver would be heavier. I've been metal detecting since the 1980's and I can assure you, readings can be skewed by any number of things.
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
The type 1 Quint did have Nova Constellatio on the obverse side
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Moderator
United States
188052 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11880 Posts |
The 1st type of quint does have the NOVA CONSTELLATIO inscription but as you can see below, the two words were continuous with a slight separation between the two words. In your coin the two words appear at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock on opposite sides of the coin, consistent with the Crosby 2B copper mentioned before.   IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: " It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website: https://fairfaxcoins.com |
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Replies: 17 / Views: 1,441 |
Posted 09/01/2025 12:53 pm
