Historic
• To refer to notable events in history.
• To refer to objects associated with notable people and events.
Historical
• To refer to a past time in history.
• To refer to a historical object from a broad period.
• To refer to fiction.
@savitale said:
I’m trying to pick a new collecting area and I am considering something along the lines of “Historically Important Coins.” But what would be included in this set? There are many numismatically important coins, but those with clear ties to historical events are quite a bit fewer I believe. If we limit the scope to US coins, including Colonials, what examples of historically important coins would you include?
In terms of coins with "clear ties to historical events", I can think of the following:
1652 New England Shilling as first coins struck in America for flourishing colonies.
1787 Fugio Cent for the first Federal coin for the birth of a new nation.
1792 Half Disme as the first legal tender coin for the birth of a new nation.
1804 Class I dollar for expansion of US relations oversesas
1836 Large Cent as the first coins struck on steam-powered coining press.
1836 Gobrecht Dollar as the first new design for the arrival of the steam technology.
1838 Charlotte gold coins for the Indian Removal Act.
1838 Dahlonega gold coins for the Indian Removal Act.
1848 CAL Quarter Eagle for announcing the California gold rush.
1851 U.S. Assay Office gold slug for California gold rush first Assay office coins.
1852 U.S. Assay Office double eagle for California gold rush.
1861 Confederate Half Dollar for the Civil War.
1864 Two-Cent for introduction of In God We Trust to help morale in the Civil War.
1873 Trade Dollar ("P", S, CC) for trade with the East.
1921 Peace Dollar for the end of WWI:
1933 Double Eagle for the Great Depression and coming off the gold standard.
1943 Steel Cents for participation in WWII:
1943 Silver War Nickel for participation in WWII:
The Kennedy Half Dollar for the assassination.
The Eisenhower Dollar for landing people on the moon.
This is a very enlightening, expert and thoughtful response!
The Silver Center cent is one of the most significant and historically important coins ever struck at the Philadelphia Mint. It was the first coin actually produced inside the walls of the First United States Mint, as earlier patterns, like the 1792 half dismes, were actually struck in makeshift facilities before the Mint buildings were ready for operations.
from The E-Sylum (7/27/2014)
via the NNP
One might consider selective patterns.
Several comments above referred to 1st use of our motto "IN GOD WE TRUST". i think that was significant , however, consider those patterns that predate the inaugural production pieces with the new motto that were to demonstrate the concept.
The two motifs that proposed a concept were two cent pieces ... a Shield design and the other the Bust of George Washington (patterns J-305 & J-312).
In a letter back to James Pollock (the Mint Director) on December 9, 1863 from Secretary of Treasury, Salmon Chase
“I approve your motto, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY, and on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST”
"Among the most famous monuments of antiquity is Rome's Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, named after the dynasty that built it. Flavius Vespasianus (AD 69-79), began its construction in AD 71 on the site of Nero's sumptuous Golden House. It was Rome's first permanent outdoor amphitheater, and it was built on a scale not to be exceeded for the next eighteen centuries. Vespasian dedicated the partially completed structure in AD 75, however the final touches, including the top tiers of arches and seating, were not completed until June, AD 80, under his son and successor Titus. This remarkable coin was issued to mark the occasion. The die engraver did a exemplary job depicting the mammoth structure in surprising detail, carefully depicting the exterior tiers of arches and the decorative statuary within each arch, as well as the spectators crowded within. Even the interior staircases arched entrance ways and the Imperial box are depicted. To the left of the central structure stands a huge, conical fountain called the Meta Sudans; to the right is a porticoed building usually identified as the Baths of Titus, formerly part of Nero's Golden House."
$50k-100K
And if you really want to go all out... "EID MAR" gold - celebrating the murder of Julius Caesar two years prior. 3 known gold ($4.2m), about 100 silver ($500k+).
Heraldic Eagle reverse coins with the arrows pointing in the wartime direction for the Quasi and First Barbary Wars, along with the federal revenue stamps made at the US Mint at the same time.
Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
@Nysoto said:
Heraldic Eagle reverse coins with the arrows pointing in the wartime direction for the Quasi and First Barbary Wars, along with the federal revenue stamps made at the US Mint at the same time.
This is interesting: "with the arrows pointing in the wartime direction for the Quasi and First Barbary Wars". I have never heard of the direction of the arrows having a particular significance. Is there some reference for that?
This is interesting: "with the arrows pointing in the wartime direction for the Quasi and First Barbary Wars". I have never heard of the direction of the arrows having a particular significance. Is there some reference for that?
There are only two books that describe the history of the first federal revenue stamps, which were engraved at the US Mint by Chief Engraver Robert Scot, and their relation to the design origin of the Heradic Eagle reverse.
The first book is my sig line biography of Robert Scot. The second book is the recently published "Eagle Poised on a Bank of Clouds: The United States Silver Dollars of 1795-1798" by EAC Penny-Wise editor Harry Salyards, who referenced my book and expanded on the research.
There is also an article in Penny-Wise that I wrote (January 2018), that can be read on the NNP "Defending Liberty: Robert Scot and Adam Eckfeldt Create Wartime Revenue Stamps at the Mint." Salyards also references that article in his book. https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/591244
The 1798-1801 FIrst and Second Issue Federal Revenue Stamps raised over a million dollars, which was used to finance warships in order to successfully fight the Quasi-War and the First Barbary War. The 15 different designs all had an eagle, and the four designs with arrows all had them pointing in the wartime position (same direction as the eagle's head) - these were undeclared wars, like Vietnam and Korea, but many politicians in 1797-1801 wanted to declare war, and the stamps were used to finance expected wars - thus the arrow position. Congress did authorize military action. A treaty in 1805 ended the First Barbary War, and in 1807 the new reverse coinage design reverted to the peacetime arrow position. Prior to my book, the arrow positions were described as a mistake by most numismatic authors.
These highly cropped images are actual surviving dies (images reversed) of these revenue stamps with the wartime arrow position. The full images are in my book.
Comments
Re-examine the terms historic and historical.
Why bound historic/historical to coins only?
References:
https://masterclass.com/articles/historic-vs-historical-explained
https://rd.com/article/historic-vs-historical/
In a nutshell:
Historic
• To refer to notable events in history.
• To refer to objects associated with notable people and events.
Historical
• To refer to a past time in history.
• To refer to a historical object from a broad period.
• To refer to fiction.
Example historic Washington pocket piece.
https://heritagestatic.com/c/d/cms/563/405/1278-newman.5634054.pdf
Example historic Nixon “one of the first” uncirculated Eisenhower dollar.
Example historic Johnson/Mateos Chamizal Treaty medals.
Example historic Eisenhower appreciation medals. Note the memo states "...were manufactured for use by the President." (and listing of medals.).
Example historic Eisenhower Paris Summit medal. Issued at event. Event was cancelled due to US spy plane shot down in USSR air space.
Example historic Kennedy appreciation medal.
Example historic Johnson "among the first" Kennedy half dollars.
There are more examples out there...you just have to find them with research.
The first coins to use 'cents' instead of 'shilling' ?
.
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
1909 cent—images of politicians commence to afflict our coinage.
Mentioned above but no pic yet- the Chain Cent
I don't own this one. However to me, this is one of the most critically important historical numismatic artifacts. (from coinfacts, courtesy of PCGS.
This is a very enlightening, expert and thoughtful response!
How about a 1909 Lincoln Cent. It was the first coin that had a U.S. president on it which was no small thing at the time.
THE BROCK-NORWEB 1792 SILVER CENTER CENT
.
.
The Silver Center cent is one of the most significant and historically important coins ever struck at the Philadelphia Mint. It was the first coin actually produced inside the walls of the First United States Mint, as earlier patterns, like the 1792 half dismes, were actually struck in makeshift facilities before the Mint buildings were ready for operations.
from The E-Sylum (7/27/2014)
via the NNP
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
A United States-Philippines coin.
One might consider selective patterns.
Several comments above referred to 1st use of our motto "IN GOD WE TRUST". i think that was significant , however, consider those patterns that predate the inaugural production pieces with the new motto that were to demonstrate the concept.
The two motifs that proposed a concept were two cent pieces ... a Shield design and the other the Bust of George Washington (patterns J-305 & J-312).
In a letter back to James Pollock (the Mint Director) on December 9, 1863 from Secretary of Treasury, Salmon Chase
“I approve your motto, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY, and on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST”
"Among the most famous monuments of antiquity is Rome's Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, named after the dynasty that built it. Flavius Vespasianus (AD 69-79), began its construction in AD 71 on the site of Nero's sumptuous Golden House. It was Rome's first permanent outdoor amphitheater, and it was built on a scale not to be exceeded for the next eighteen centuries. Vespasian dedicated the partially completed structure in AD 75, however the final touches, including the top tiers of arches and seating, were not completed until June, AD 80, under his son and successor Titus. This remarkable coin was issued to mark the occasion. The die engraver did a exemplary job depicting the mammoth structure in surprising detail, carefully depicting the exterior tiers of arches and the decorative statuary within each arch, as well as the spectators crowded within. Even the interior staircases arched entrance ways and the Imperial box are depicted. To the left of the central structure stands a huge, conical fountain called the Meta Sudans; to the right is a porticoed building usually identified as the Baths of Titus, formerly part of Nero's Golden House."
$50k-100K
And if you really want to go all out... "EID MAR" gold - celebrating the murder of Julius Caesar two years prior. 3 known gold ($4.2m), about 100 silver ($500k+).
history
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Early 20th century type set. SLQ T1&2, Barbers, WLH, Buff 5c, Merc 10c, etc.
Heraldic Eagle reverse coins with the arrows pointing in the wartime direction for the Quasi and First Barbary Wars, along with the federal revenue stamps made at the US Mint at the same time.
This is interesting: "with the arrows pointing in the wartime direction for the Quasi and First Barbary Wars". I have never heard of the direction of the arrows having a particular significance. Is there some reference for that?
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
@savitale asked:
There are only two books that describe the history of the first federal revenue stamps, which were engraved at the US Mint by Chief Engraver Robert Scot, and their relation to the design origin of the Heradic Eagle reverse.
The first book is my sig line biography of Robert Scot. The second book is the recently published "Eagle Poised on a Bank of Clouds: The United States Silver Dollars of 1795-1798" by EAC Penny-Wise editor Harry Salyards, who referenced my book and expanded on the research.
There is also an article in Penny-Wise that I wrote (January 2018), that can be read on the NNP "Defending Liberty: Robert Scot and Adam Eckfeldt Create Wartime Revenue Stamps at the Mint." Salyards also references that article in his book. https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/591244
The 1798-1801 FIrst and Second Issue Federal Revenue Stamps raised over a million dollars, which was used to finance warships in order to successfully fight the Quasi-War and the First Barbary War. The 15 different designs all had an eagle, and the four designs with arrows all had them pointing in the wartime position (same direction as the eagle's head) - these were undeclared wars, like Vietnam and Korea, but many politicians in 1797-1801 wanted to declare war, and the stamps were used to finance expected wars - thus the arrow position. Congress did authorize military action. A treaty in 1805 ended the First Barbary War, and in 1807 the new reverse coinage design reverted to the peacetime arrow position. Prior to my book, the arrow positions were described as a mistake by most numismatic authors.
These highly cropped images are actual surviving dies (images reversed) of these revenue stamps with the wartime arrow position. The full images are in my book.
edit - a shameless plug, my book Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty was released in a second printing last year, and seems to be the least expensive at Barnes & Noble (online) and Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Scot-Engraving-William-Nyberg/dp/1939995094