I can't resist
Cladiator
Posts: 18,247 ✭✭✭✭✭
This came this week Some of you may remember me rambling on about a dream coin of mine a little while ago...well this is it
Designed by the diecutter Thomas Wyon is an undated copper penny size (33mm) token minted by Peter Kempson and Son of Birmingham. The obverse of this coin bears a military bust of Washington facing left with the legend "GEORGE WASHINGTON ." The reverse depicts a shield with fifteen lines to the left and a field of fifteen stars to the right. Above is an eagle with spread wings holding arrows in the right talon and an olive branch in the left. Above is the legend "LIBERTY AND SECURITY". One very rare variety has a plain edge while the common variety has the legend "AN ASYLUM FOR THE OPPRESS'D OF ALL NATIONS ::" This undated coin was mentioned in print by Samuel Birchall in 1796. It clearly dates to at least 1795 and may be earlier. Usually it is assigned as (1795) which should be taken as minted by 1795 rather than during that year. It is certainly considered to have been produced before the dated 1795 "halfpenny."
Weight: 304.3 g (19.72 grams)
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Comments
<< <i>Some of you may remember me rambling on about a dream coin of mine a little while ago...well this is it >>
Well, I remember you "rambling" not sure it was about a dream coin though.
Congratulations on your new toy. Very nice BTW with some history to go with it.
Edit to add, sorry in advance if I killed your thread so quick, but you know me!!
This is however a significant increase from Monday's total of zero (0).
But thats OK. We'll have our day as the rest of the collecting community catches the wave, or bug, or whatever.
I find it interesting to compare the prices of colonial era Washington pieces like this to 20th century Washington Quarter prices - in that context, coins like Cladiator's seems like pretty good value IMO.
<< <i>I can't resist >>
Resistance is futile.
think of me for first shot if you ever want to sell it
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>I like the chicken on the reverse. >>
It is pretty homely looking isn't it? I thought last night when examining it that it looks like an eagle with the Bird Flu that also happens to have frog legs
<< <i>think of me for first shot if you ever want to sell it >>
I will Baley but I don't think it'll be happening for quite some time
Most likely made in 1795 as it is very similar to dated pennies with the 1795 date and half pence dated 1795. Dalton & Hamer and Waters are both silent at to who manufactured them, but Pye claims that the dies were made from punches created by John Hanc ock.
D&H makes no mention of a plain edged example, and there is no mention of one in the 1990, 1996, and 2004 new variety updates. I do see where Breen lists it in his encyclopedia, but he also lists elctrotypes and since there have been no reports since 1960 and it isn't in the standard references, I would be concerned that the "plain edge" pieces might be electrotypes that were not recognized as such.
edited to add: Looks like this one survived the ST curse
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
RJ