POLL: What do you consider the first official United States coin?
ER
Posts: 7,345 ✭
The first United States coin?
Edited to add: explain your answer, if you don't mind.
Edited to add: explain your answer, if you don't mind.
0
Comments
<< <i>1792 Half Disme. It was the first coin struck under the constitution. The continental dollar was struck during the revolution, the Fugio cent was struck under the Articles of Confederation. >>
But we were still the "United States" under the Articles of Confederation" were we not? The Fugio was issued by the authority of the United States board of treasury, so I vote Fugio.
<< <i>1792 Half Disme. It was the first coin struck under the constitution. The continental dollar was struck during the revolution, the Fugio cent was struck under the Articles of Confederation. >>
I couldn't have said it better. Mainly because I didn't know that level of detail. But I would have said half disme as it is what's in the RedBook.
<< <i>1792 Half Disme. It was the first coin struck under the constitution. The continental dollar was struck during the revolution, the Fugio cent was struck under the Articles of Confederation. >>
<< <i>I have a feeling I'm gonna' get a beating here.
Not from me. I voted with you.
Lane
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
<< <i>
<< <i>1792 Half Disme. It was the first coin struck under the constitution. The continental dollar was struck during the revolution, the Fugio cent was struck under the Articles of Confederation. >>
But we were still the "United States" under the Articles of Confederation" were we not? The Fugio was issued by the authority of the United States board of treasury, so I vote Fugio. >>
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Mind your own business!
<< <i>It would have to be the 1792 half disme. Although not struck IN the Mint, it was struck under the authority of the Mint, while the new Mint building was under construction two blocks away. The Mint Act of April 2, 1792 authorized the purchase of the land, the construction of the building, the hiring of the personnel, and detailed the denominations to be struck. The half disme was the first coin struck under this authority. >>
I have to agree with Steve on this one
42/92
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
(Note: spoiler down below, don't scroll unless you want to know what the redbook might say or you've already voted)
IX. The Fugio Cents
The first coins issued by the authority of the United States were the "Fugio" cents.
Incidentally, the redbook goes on to call the 1792 silver center cent, the 1792 Birch cent, and the 1792 half disme, disme, and pattern quarter the "First United States Mint Issues"
--Severian the Lame
<< <i>The red book states: "The first coins issued by authority of the United States were the Fugio cents." Question for those that picked the 1792 half disme: is the red book wrong? >>
Just because something is printed in a book doesn't make it right. It's just an opinion, as we have expressed ours. My idea of the first US coin is one that not only was struck under the authority of the United States, but struck by the United States as well.
If I had it my way, stupidity would be painful!
<< <i>
<< <i>The red book states: "The first coins issued by authority of the United States were the Fugio cents." Question for those that picked the 1792 half disme: is the red book wrong? >>
Just because something is printed in a book doesn't make it right. It's just an opinion, as we have expressed ours. My idea of the first US coin is one that not only was struck under the authority of the United States, but struck by the United States as well. >>
You are answering a question different than the one asked. Also, the red book quotes the "Journals of Congress" documenting their assertion that the Fugio cents were the first coins struct under authority of the United States.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>The red book states: "The first coins issued by authority of the United States were the Fugio cents." Question for those that picked the 1792 half disme: is the red book wrong? >>
Just because something is printed in a book doesn't make it right. It's just an opinion, as we have expressed ours. My idea of the first US coin is one that not only was struck under the authority of the United States, but struck by the United States as well. >>
You are answering a question different than the one asked. Also, the red book quotes the "Journals of Congress" documenting their assertion that the Fugio cents were the first coins struct under authority of the United States. >>
And that means by the United States as well.
too simple of a question as posed for an answer that begs for a more narrow focus. the Continental Congress made it's first attempt at coinage in 1776 with the Continental Dollar but it probably never intended them as circulating coins, more along the idea of patterns. before the Fugio's were struck the Continental Congress contracted for the Constellatio Nova silver and copper patterns. the Fugio Cent resulted in bankruptcy and scandal which was followed by the Washington tokens before the Mint was established and issued our first true circulating coinage.
thus, the path to circulating coinage began with the Congress of the United States of America issuing the Continental Dollars and leading to the eventual establishment of a Mint to strike circulating coinage. if we consider Patterns as coins of the United States, the answer is the Continental Dollar; if not, probably the Constellatio Nova coppers, which circulated more as a token than as a coin. if we're talking about an issue struck by the U.S. Mint that was a circulating coin.........................