1791 Washington Cents (Lg and Sm Eagles)

[LINCOLNMAN]

What's the current scoop on these? Were they intended for commercial use in the US, and were they sent here for that purpose? Or are they strictly Conder tokens? Is the date contemporary or roughly so? Many thanks.

[kidrootbeer]

from Ira & Larry: 2/16/2001: 114
"This coin was made by the Birmingham token manufacturer Obadiah Westwood, and engraved by child prodigy John Gregory Hancock, Sr.  Issued in order to win the contract for coinage in America, Breen estimates that a cask containing 2,500 large eagle and 1,500 small eagle cents was shipped to Philadelphia to the Westwood's representatives, Thomas Ketland & Sons for distribution to cabinet officials, dignitaries, senators and other VIP's.  Some of these coins found an audience with President Washington, who rejected the proposal as "monarchial" and also noted that he was against contract coinage of any kind, especially from outside the country."

[LINCOLNMAN]

1 minute ago, allmine said:

off the top of my head: Proposed Coinage

Thanks, that's good enough for me to include these in my Colonial set. Trying to avoid the "stretch" pieces on the conventional list. (Mott token...what the?)  At least for now.

[kidrootbeer]

3 minutes ago, LINCOLNMAN said:

Thanks, that's good enough for me to include these in my Colonial set. Trying to avoid the "stretch" pieces on the conventional list. (Mott token...what the?)  At least for now.

No MOTT Token: That's more accurately a Hard Times Token
and don't think for a minute that the Washington Cents weren't a "wake up" call to (Washington) that a US Mint must be established! After all, if they weren't going to strike coins-the FUGIO Fiasco notwithstanding (prob. explains Washington's distaste for Contract Coinage)-then others were able to do so, and nicely

[kidrootbeer]

for some Colonial Fun: Find a CT colonial punch-linked to the FUGIOs

[LINCOLNMAN]

14 minutes ago, allmine said:

for some Colonial Fun: Find a CT colonial punch-linked to the FUGIOs

Please elaborate.

[kidrootbeer]

[kidrootbeer]

didn't need the "F" punch for CT's

[kidrootbeer]

long story short: the guy who had the Federal Contract to strike FUGIO Cents, diverted a huge amount of the Copper to his clandestine CT colonial coin operations

[LINCOLNMAN]

3 minutes ago, allmine said:

long story short: the guy who had the Federal Contract to strike FUGIO Cents, diverted a huge amount of the Copper to his clandestine CT colonial coin operations

Excellent. Will look at my CTs when I get home. Is the F punch the only connection or are there others?

[kidrootbeer]

Fleurons too (the devices under the Sun dial), but the CONNFC var. is the Best because the F punch was not needed for CT colonial coinage. It's not a Rare variety by any stretch

[kidrootbeer]

[kidrootbeer]

forgot about this one: FNDE et lib... and the "N" is also punched over another letter

you can see that the "F" punch was used on the reverse die in place of the "E" punch, and 'fixed' in the die

[LINCOLNMAN]

Many thanks. Great photos and information.  Why I signed up here, 

[kidrootbeer]

well, fwiw: I was a Founder of C4 along with Chris, Jim I think, Tom, Mike, Steve and Walter? and a few other guys I didn't know
T-h-a-t was fun!

[kidrootbeer]

OK just once: it was really late, after an EAC function at a coin show... Chris, me, and his brother were kicking around the idea; we mentioned it to Mike and he passed it along. Chris and me spotted Steve walking all alone in front of us, up the stairs to his room; so we intercepted him and we each grabbed an arm, and "escorted" him there, yelling to people we knew "Steve's room!!". He was the Unanimous Choice for Records Keeper-Secretary (he didn't want the job, but was voiced down). I think Original Dues were $20.00?

[LINCOLNMAN]

Just signed up on the C4 site.