My First Early Copper Coin by Jon Truskey

coinloverjon · February 12, 2023 4:44PM

This article originally appeared in Penny-Wise official publication of Early American Coppers by Jon Truskey

Back in the mid-1980s, like many others, I mainly collected Lincoln cents and some Jefferson nickels. I used to frequent a coin shop that had a “bid board” on their back wall. On it they would display coins for sale. One could put in a sealed bid over a few week period.

That is where I won my first early copper. It was a 1797 draped bust large cent. At the time I knew absolutely nothing about them except for the limited information gleaned from my copy of the Red Book.

What jumped out at me when when I saw the coin was the number “17” in the date. I had seen a lot of coins from the 1900s, and some from the late 1800s, but in my mind, stuff from the 1700s was an entirely different animal. On a whim I put in a bid and won the coin for $15.00 which seemed like a lot at the time, but it was such a “cool” coin.

From my research in William Noyes’ United States Large Cents book, I am 98 percent sure it is a Sheldon 139. Even though a S-139 is considered “very common” on the Sheldon scale (R-1 with 2000+ examples estimated) it is definitely rare compared to my Lincoln cents.

One day I was carrying it around with me in its cardboard holder to show a friend. On the way, I had to stop in an auto parts store to get some motor oil. The proprietor and a couple of his friends and customers were gathered around the register looking through the change.

The owner came up with a penny from the 1930s. They were all commenting on how old the coin was, so I asked to see it. I commented that it was a nice find but it was really not that old.

They glanced at me with puzzled looks and asked what I meant. I took that opportunity to take out my 1797 and say, “Now this is an old penny.” None of them had seen anything like it before. The store owner even commented something like, “Wow! Does that really say 1700 something?”

In retrospect, I guess it was that “wow” factor that initially attracted me to these pieces of history. I still experience that feeling whenever I hold one of these early coins.

jesbroken · February 12, 2023 5:34PM

Welcome to the Early Cent lovers group. Be careful it is highly addictive. Nice DBLC.
Jim

ricko · February 13, 2023 7:15AM

I agree with the concept that any U.S. coin with 17xx date is magical.... I have always hoped to find one while metal detecting (very possible in my area... settled in the latter 1600's), but so far, no luck. Cheers, RickO