Continental $1 sells for $138,100
Spink’s N.Y. June sale contained a high-grade example of the enigmatic 1776 Continental Dollar struck in pewter. Its obverse shows “EG FECIT” and the reverse has a large “N” in…
Spink’s N.Y. June sale contained a high-grade example of the enigmatic 1776 Continental Dollar struck in pewter.
Its obverse shows “EG FECIT” and the reverse has a large “N” in “AMERICAN” (Newman 3-D, Breen-1095, W-8460), Low R-4. A circular die crack within the linked 13 colonies extends from GEORGIA to DELAWARE.
The coin’s presence in the sale enabled the cataloger to expand on the frustrating lack of information concerning the piece’s precise origins and, indeed, whether it is a coin or a pattern or even what its denomination might be.
Both A Guide Book of United States Coins and Walter Breen’s 1988 Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins are cited before the catalog concludes, “We would argue that while the two known silver Continental dollars are patterns, and the brass pennies are patterns, the ‘pewter’ pieces are coins.”
Prospective bidders no doubt recognized that the example in the sale is one of the more common Continental dollar types as confirmed by both the Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation population data. Hence, despite its historic importance and highly collectible PCGS MS-63 grade, it realized “just” $138,100, including buyer’s premium.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News. >> Subscribe today.
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