There is just something that pulls me in to a U.S. minted coin from the 1700's.

afford · February 20, 2017 12:13PM

Maybe its the possibility that one of the founding fathers could have owned it or just held it. Maybe it is the beginning of our coinage. I also like the fact that it is a short run of years. The 1700's is just so intriguing to me, so much was going on back then, it just represents so much history, a killer prefix if you ask me.
Maybe you can post your best pieces, thanks.

coindeuce · February 20, 2017 12:23PM

Maybe, you first. (Mine are currently captive in a SDB).

Unknown · February 20, 2017 12:31PM

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BryceM · February 20, 2017 12:53PM

I wholeheartedly agree! The early founding fathers were generally quite wealthy and spent a great deal of their time around the centers of government and commerce. There's an excellent chance they handled a large part of our earliest coinage. These are somewhat pedestrian examples of their respective series and a few have issues. The half-cent demonstrates some porosity, especially on the reverse and the FH half dime is probably retoning after one or more dips.

BillJones · February 20, 2017 1:02PM

Sunshine Rare Coins · February 20, 2017 1:12PM

lkeigwin · February 20, 2017 1:13PM

Sonorandesertrat · February 20, 2017 1:42PM

There are large cent collectors who specialize in the varieties of 1794 cents, which are known by Sheldon numbers. Even collecting by die state has attracted some interest. 1794 large cent-collecting has long been considered an important specialty area in the early copper world, going back to the late 19th century, with books (e.g., those by SH Chapman, E Frossard & WW Hays, or JA Boka) having been written about coins of this date. Some years ago, David Lisot filmed a presentation by Mark Borckhardt on the people involved in the production of 1794 large cents; a DVD of this is available from www.coinvideo.com.

S-57, what Maris called the 'Pyramidal Head' more than a century ago:

Baley · February 20, 2017 1:59PM

Agree that 18th century US cions are particularly awesome!

my favorites:

Walkerguy21D · February 20, 2017 2:22PM

Someday I would like to get a silver piece or two from this era!

No images of my S-56 to compliment the S-57 above, or any other of my 17xx large cents, except for these:

Thick planchet, lettered edge:

Thin planchet, plain edge:

lkeigwin · February 20, 2017 3:27PM

WDP · February 20, 2017 3:51PM

@afford stated: Maybe its the possibility that one of the founding fathers could have owned it or just held it. Maybe it is the beginning of our coinage. I also like the fact that it is a short run of years. The 1700's is just so intriguing to me, so much was going on back then, it just represents so much history, a killer prefix if you ask me.
Maybe you can post your best pieces, thanks.

I agree with @afford's reasons for liking late 1700's dated U.S. Coins. I would add another reason - the dies were made by hand in the 1700's, with letters, numbers, starts, etc. all punched in by hand, resulting in some interesting die variations in the different series.

Here's a 1795 Flowing Hair die marriage that I'll bet few have seen or know about. Both of the following Flowing Hair Dollars were struck from the same pair of dies, resulting in the 1795 B-6, BB-25 marriage. Yet they are both different which has caused knowledgeable collectors to think they are two different dies, both obverse and reverse. Compare the two photos, and see if you can come up with three key differences, and the "what happened" part of the story. Hint: The first coin pictured was struck before the second coin.

....

_Photo courtesy of PCGS. _

Photo courtesy of W. David Perkins.

.....

The Three Major differences

On the obverse, the lower right foot of the L in LIBERTY has been extended (to the right). This is a little difficult to see in the photo.

On the reverse, the first coin has three leaves under the first S in STATES. The second coin has four leaves under this S.

You'll have to look very closely on the lower right of the reverse to see this, but note on the first coin the eagle's right (facing) wing "covers" (is on top of) the right leaves and stem. Now look closely at the second photo in the same area - note their is some "ghosting" where you can now see some of the leaves and stem details "on top of the wing."

What caused this? A pair of hardened dies, used already to strike earlier die states of 1795 B-6, BB-25, was reworked. The right foot of the L in Liberty was lengthened, a fourth leaf was added under the first S in STATES, and the stems and leaves on the lower right were "strengthened" with a graver, resulting in some detail being seen "on top" of the eagle's right wing. The obverse and reverse die were "remarried" and more coins were struck using the reworked (or repaired) dies.

PCGS has termed the first coin the "Missing Leaf" variety. I am aware of only two examples of this variety, the one photographed above which is in my collection, and one other sold by Stack's as part of the W. Earl Spies Collection sale in December 1974.

CharlotteDude · February 20, 2017 6:23PM

Great-looking coins all... I think this thread could use a little gold though...

'dude

WDP · February 20, 2017 7:29PM

Nice gold @CharlotteDude!

Traz · February 20, 2017 7:40PM

This was mine. Just sent it to legend for their may auction though!

ms70 · February 20, 2017 8:35PM

Half Dime - PCGS FR02

ricko · February 21, 2017 6:15AM

An incredible thread.... U.S. coins from the 1700's are indeed special. I live in an area that was settled in the late 1600's... and being a cache MD'r, I search old homestead sites (located through research and legwork), and my dream is to find one (or more) of these old coins.... Cheers, RickO

asheland · February 21, 2017 10:28AM

messydesk · February 21, 2017 10:36AM

TwoKopeiki · February 21, 2017 11:29AM

@Baley said:
Agree that 18th century US cions are particularly awesome!

my favorites:

If I ever get a US coin as a type for my collection, it will be something very similar to either of those two beauties.

Eagleguy · February 21, 2017 2:28PM

I'm enjoying looking at everyone's coins. Wish I could afford some 1700's gold. All I have is this.

coinnut · February 21, 2017 2:42PM

WDP · February 21, 2017 3:48PM

Here's a black and white plate scan of a pair of 1796 Dollars. Both of these 1796 Dollars are ex. Newcomer-Green and were sold in the November 24, 1956 New Netherlands Forty-Eighth Catalog of Rare Coins sale.

The first 1796 Dollar (Lot 616) is a Conditionally Rare example of the 1796 B-2 (BB-63) Small Date, Small Letters Type Dollar. Today I believe that this coin is graded PCGS AU58. It is also ex. Bareford-Cardinal Collection-Dale Friend.

The second coin (Lot 617) was cataloged in this 1956 sale as a Mint Sate example of the 1796 B-4 (BB-61 Small Date, Large Letters Type Dollar. Interestingly, the reverse was noted as being "slightly flat only upon high points of eagle's head, breast, wings and legs." In actuality, you rarely see this much feather detail even on a high grade early dollar.

....

Sonorandesertrat · February 21, 2017 4:01PM

Aah, Waldo Newcomer. He had an incredible collection. It's a shame that a formal catalog of the entire collection was not prepared (although there is a set of plates).

WDP · February 21, 2017 4:30PM

@Sonorandesertrat said: Aah, Waldo Newcomer. He had an incredible collection. It's a shame that a formal catalog of the entire collection was not prepared (although there is a set of plates).

@Sonorandesertrat, I couldn't agree more. I've researched and collected the early dollars 1794-1803 for over 30 years and would love to someday to find a catalog or photos of the Newcomer Collection. I don't recall a 'set of plates?" Is there a plate for some or all of the early dollars???

I do have a two page copy of the Newcomer Inventory for the early dollars 1794-1804. Unfortunately there are no photos or pedigree information with this inventory.

For those interested, here is a little peek at the first page of the Newcomer Early Dollar Inventory Listing:

....

Inventory courtesy of "JD."

Sonorandesertrat · February 21, 2017 4:44PM

WDP: "I don't recall a 'set of plates?"

Call David Fanning. I recall that Kolbe & Fanning auctioned off a set of Newcomer plates (several dozen in a binder; Max Mehl probably had them made before selling coins off to other dealers, and there might be reprints floating around ). The set sold within the last few years, I think.

WDP · February 21, 2017 5:05PM

@Sonorandesertrat , thanks. I'll check this out.

Sonorandesertrat · February 21, 2017 5:42PM

WDP,
Check your PM box

There is just something that pulls me in to a U.S. minted coin from the 1700's.

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