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CONNECTICUT COPPER COINS
(1785-1788)
Copper coins were struck in
Connecticut beginning in 1785. Over 350 distinct die varieties are known
to exist today.
Interesting
"nicknames" have been assigned to some of the more distinctive and
unusual types: Hercules Head, Mutton Head, African Head, Laughing Head, Horned
Bust, and others.
Some varieties are known
overstruck on other coins. According to Neil Rothschild, "There are
no Laughing heads, Mutton heads, or for that matter, any 1787 Mailed Bust
Lefts over-struck on hosts. The CNL collection contains a Horned Bust
that is a host coin to a NJ 56-n. The Early American Numismatics
8/96 sale, lot 505 illustrates a Laughing Head purported to be over-struck on
a host apparently due to the presence of an exergue line beneath the obverse
bust. That is tentative at best. I only have records of 17
varieties of 1787 involved in over-strikes, and all but 2 are host coins to
the NJ Camel heads. There are no known 1785 or 1786 overstrikes, to my
knowledge. The vast majority are 1788's."
Below is a complete list of the
known varieties, attributed by Miller. Italicized listings represent
discoveries made after Miller published his listing.
Sources
and/or recommended reading:
Pine Tree Auction Company, Inc.'s "Early American Copper Society
Convention" Sale, February 15, 1975
Auctions by Bowers and Merena, Inc.'s
"Frederick B. Taylor Collection" Sale, March 26-28, 1987 "George
C. Perkins Collection of Connecticut Coppers - Additions &
Corrections, Priced & Named" by Robert Martin "Walter
Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins" by Walter
Breen
Significant examples:
In the February 2005 issue of NUMISMATIST
(page 63), William Anton offered a 1786 Connecticut Error for
$185,000.00, describing it as follows: "Only quadruple perfect four
leaf clover strike on an American coin. Ex. Ryder, Bryant."
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