1776
Continental Dollar, Pewter, “Currency”.
Struck in the year when the United States were
founded and was in a war with its former mother
country, Great-Brittan, these issues have been
immensely popular. Directly related to the founding
of the United States, with mottos like “Mind
Your Business”, “We are one”
and names of the original thirteen states on it,
they are also artistic works of art. With the
inclusion of the famed 1776 date, any example
of this issue is considered to be a true prize
in a collection of early American coinage.
This die pair is pictured in the 1875 book
on colonial coinage written by Sylvester S.
Crosby, a reference work which is still in use
among numismatic researchers to this day. It
also is identified as Newman 2-C, and in his
Encyclopedia as Breen-1092. He had noticed that
“UNC specimens are mostly dull”,
and in fact, from our experience this appears
to be the case. Most resources list these pieces
as rarity 3, but they appear to be much scarcer,
especially in high grade. Struck in pewter,
apparently as a pattern of the dollar denomination,
although both those details have been disputed
for a long time.
The devices on both the obverse and reverse
had appeared on colonial currency during the
early 1770s. The chain of thirteen states was
to give the states a common identity as a new
country, strong and tight together. While their
status has been disputed by many researchers,
they are now believed to be patterns meant to
replace the many different varieties of lower
value colonial paper money. Examples are also
found in silver, of which Crosby only knew of
one. Because of their similarity to the later
silver dollars, they have also been claimed
to be of that denomination, although that is
usually considered to be part of numismatic
tradition.
Always in demand for their history, pieces
are usually quickly traded. Certified by NGC
in a new holder, this particular coin is a true
uncirculated specimen. Struck in pewter, a metal
not used for regular American coinage, consisting
of mostly tin. Pieces of this metal are usually
extremely vulnerable, especially after 200 years
and many show heavy rust and/or oxidation in
some sort. This piece has some of it, but has
excellent eye-appeal when viewed in hand. For
the collector of early American coinage, or
anyone seeking part of American history at its
very beginning, this is a wonderful coin which
is destined to move fast.
On January 1, 1776, the Continental
Army was reorganized in accordance with a Congressional
resolution which placed American forces under
George Washington's control. On that New Year's
Day the Continental Army was laying siege to Boston
which had been taken over by the British Army.
Washington ordered the Grand Union flag hoisted
above his base at Prospect Hill "in compliment
of the United Colonies."
Authorized by the Continental Congress, the flag
was called the “Congress Colors,”
and because of the inclusion of crosses, General
Washington has noted that the British are mistaking
the intentions of the colonists.
“Common
sense” flames rebellion January 10, 1776
Common Sense is a pamphlet written
by Thomas Paine. It was first published anonymously
on January 10, 1776, during the American Revolution.
Common Sense, signed "Written by an Englishman",
became an immediate success. In relation to the
population of the Colonies at that time, it had
the largest sale and circulation of any book in
American history. Common Sense presented the American
colonists with a powerful argument for independence
from British rule at a time when the question
of independence was still undecided. Paine wrote
and reasoned in a style that common people understood;
forgoing the philosophy and Latin references used
by Enlightenment era writers, Paine structured
Common Sense like a sermon and relied on Biblical
references to make his case to the people.
Jefferson presents document
for independence June 28, 1776
A momentous step towards the
separation of the Colonies from the British was
made as the Second Continental Congress, led by
Thomas Jefferson, presented a document that would
sever ties with London. The document was crafted
by Jefferson and can be described as “majestic.”
It is written “We hold these truths to be
sacred and undeniable that all men are created
equal and independent, that from that equal creation
they derive rights inherent and inalienable, among
which are the preservation of life and liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.” While many
are impressed by the document, not all favor independence.
Jefferson was joined on the committee by John
Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Livingston.
1776
HISTORY
Dying Captain motivated
men May 19, 1776
American Captain, James Mugford, became
hated by the British after sailing a captured vessel,
the Hope, right under the noses of the British in broad
daylight and got away with it. The Hope, which was loaded
with military supplies, ran aground and became attacked
by the British. During the British attack, Mugford received
“a fatal ball” but he managed to rally his
men; “Don’t give up the ship, you will beat
them off.” The American soldiers were successful
in repelling the attack.
United States
secures independence July 4, 1776
The Declaration of Independence, approved
by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, is a statement
of the principles that 2 days earlier had led Congress
to vote for the independence of the American colonies
from Great Britain. It was designed to influence public
opinion, both at home and abroad, especially in France,
to which the United States looked for military support.
The
drafting of the document was entrusted to a committee
consisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas
Jefferson, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston.
Because of Jefferson's reputation as a literary craftsman,
the committee assigned the task to him, and with minor
exceptions it is his work. Jefferson drew upon a long
oppositionist tradition in Britain, as well as the English
and French Enlightenments, as sources for his ideas;
his language and the structure of his argument, however,
most closely parallel the natural-rights theories of
John Locke. In justifying England's Glorious Revolution
of 1688, Locke had advanced the contract theory of government,
arguing that all "just" governments are founded
on consent and are designed solely to protect people
in their inherent rights to life, liberty, and property.
Radical proponents of this theory had used it to justify
civil disobedience whenever government encroached on
any of the specified rights; the more conservative Jefferson
held that resistance is justified only when a consistent
course of policy shows an unmistakable design to establish
tyranny. The document was otherwise adopted without
significant change, and formal signing by 56 members
of Congress began on Aug. 2, 1776.
New
Yorkers destroy statue of king July 10, 1776
A throng of Continental soldiers and
New York patriots pulled down a statue of King George
III riding on a horse as they celebrated the signing
of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.
After the Declaration was read to the assembled troops,
the Continental soldiers roared three cheers and joined
the New Yorkers in a round of rejoicing. The statue
had been the laughing stock of New York, as the sculptor
of the statue, Wilton of London, failed to put stirrups
on the horse that the King is depicted on. This gave
rise to a saying among the soldiers: “The tyrant
ought to ride a hard-trotting horse without stirrups.”
New
Hampshire to mint copper coins March 13, 1776
The New Hampshire legislature has appointed
William Moulton to make copper coins at the current
British standard weight, just over 153 grains. The Act
states that the copper coin will feature the motto “American
Liberty” and a pine tree on the obverse and a
harp design with the date “1776” on the
reverse. The copper coin will be distributed by the
Treasury in £1000 quantities to the colony at
a rate of three copper coins for two pence paper currency.
Paul revere to engrave Massachusetts
currency September 17, 1776
Engraver Paul Revere has been commissioned
to print £50,004 in legal tender bills of credit.
The legislation was approved on September 16, 1776 and
the noted feature an American soldier on the back. Because
of the image of the soldier, these notes have been nicknamed
the “Sword in Hand” issues. The note features
an oval vignette with a shipped docked at a harbor on
the front, while the back depicts an American “minuteman”
soldier with a copy of the Declaration of Independence
in one hand and a sword in the other. Above is the motto
"Issued in defence of American Liberty" and
below is the motto of Massachusetts "Ense petit
placidam sub Libertate Quietem." (By the sword
one seeks peace under tranquil liberty). The copper
plates that were used to print the notes were originally
used for earlier issues of this series and some significant
changes were made. Being as the new note was the first
printed since the signing of the Declaration of Independence,
the word “colony” on the front was rubbed
out and replaced with “State.”
Continental coin to be produced April 17, 1776
On April 19, 1776 the Congress appointed
a committee to determine the value of several foreign
coins in relation to the Spanish dollar and on February
20, 1777 a congressional treasury committee recommended
a mint be established, but nothing further was done
on this matter. To date there is no evidence the Continental
Currency coins were authorized or issued by the Continental
Congress. The design of the Continental Currency coin
is based on the designs found on Continental Congress
fractional One-Sixth of a Dollar note which was designed
by Benjamin Franklin.
New
Hampshire to mint copper coins