LOT #3026 |
Sold on Apr 22, 2021 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
1787 New York Excelsior Copper, Indian and New York Arms, W-5795, High R.6, VF30 NGC. ...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold on Apr 22, 2021 for:
$50,400.00
Bid Source: HA.com/Live bidder
Description
1787 New York Excelsior Copper, W-5795, VF30
Attractive Indian and New York Arms Copper
1787 New York Excelsior Copper, Indian and New York Arms,
W-5795, High R.6, VF30 NGC. The Liber Natus coins are among the
most popular designs among the Confederation-era coinages. The bold
image of the Native American, rendered in a folk art style, has
appealed to generations of collectors, and the obverse legend,
Liber Natus Libertatem Defendo ("Born Free, I Defend
Freedom"), encapsulates a philosophy that is fiercely independent.
To many, it seems as uniquely American a design as one could
imagine, even if the legend is in Latin. It is encountered paired
with two different reverses: here, it is married to a 1787-dated
rendition of the Arms of the State of New York. This example is
well-struck and is particularly well-centered, with full legends
and more extensive dentilation on both sides than is usually seen.
While clearly circulated, all design elements are distinctly
present, even most of the image of the rising sun between two
mountains within the center of the reverse shield. The coloration
is a pleasing and warm ruddy brown, and the coin has little in the
way of marks aside from a little roughness to the edges.The origins of these pieces has always been a mystery. Montroville Dickeson, writing in his 1859 American Numismatical Manual, opined that the Liber Natus and Excelsior coinages were intended for use in circulation and served in that capacity, though likely without any formal authorization: "It is clear to us that these coppers were a currency, and, subserving as they did a useful purpose, they encountered no opposition from the local authorities." Crosby felt that these pieces likely had a connection to the mint at Machin's Mills and to the counterfeits produced by Major Eli Leavenworth:
"We have long believed that the Liber Natus Libertatem Defendo, and the George Clinton, were among the pieces struck for Leavenworth, probably at Machin's Mills, and must now class with them the Non Vi Virtute Vici, and the Immunis of 1787: it is not unlikely that the Connecticuts of similar workmanship were also part of the same enterprise. The Non Vi Virtute Vici may have been a pattern of Atlee's, made before the beginning of operations at Machin's Mills, or, as is not unlikely, while he may have been engaged in making experimental pieces, previous to his association with partners."
The recently published volume, The History and Coinage of Machin's Mills, by Jack Howes, James Rosen and Gary Trudgen, while dispensing with Leavenworth as a player, on the whole agrees with Crosby, stating that the Liber Natus and George Clinton issues "were presumably engraved and stamped at Samuel Atlee's brewery mint in New York City in early 1787 by James Atlee." This was during the period in which the New York State Legislature was accepting proposals for coining operations. Thomas Machin submitted one such proposal on March 3 of that year, only to have the relevant committee refuse to accept any of the proposals received. The following month, New York entirely dropped the matter of providing for an official coinage. The mint at Machin's Mills was established the same day. Listed on page 68 of the 2021 Guide Book.
Ex: Donald G. Partrick.
Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 436, Greysheet# 217)
View all of [The Donald G. Partrick Collection ]
Auction Info
2021 April 22 - 25 Central States US Coins Signature Auction #1329 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
April, 2021
22nd-25th
Thursday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 18
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 641
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms | US & World Coin Grading Tutorial
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms | US & World Coin Grading Tutorial