Heritage to Offer 1776 New Hampshire Copper

Heritage Auction's upcoming August 13-20 ANA Signature Auction will feature, among many other highlights, an example of the 1776 New Hampshire Cast Copper, graded VG10 by PCGS. This example is plated in Crosby, in the Guide Book, and in the Whitman Colonial Encyclopedia , and likely elsewhere. Although this variety is estimated at "URS-5 or 6" in the Whitman Colonial Encyclopedia, suggesting a population in the range from nine to 32 pieces, they suspect the actual population is less than nine. This is only the second example they have handled, and is slightly finer than the Newman coin that they offered in November 2014, and again in July 2015. That piece, PCGS certified Good 6, realized $94,000 in each appearance. This coin from the Garrett Collection is the only example that appears in the Stack's Bowers online archives.

The New Hampshire House of Representatives considered a copper coinage issue early in 1776 and directed William Moulton to make up to 100 pounds weight of these copper coins that depicted a pine tree and the words AMERICAN LIBERTY on the obverse, and a harp in a plain field on the reverse. The original legislation called for the date, 1776, to appear on the reverse.

This piece has splendid golden-brown color with hints of olive patina. The surfaces are lightly porous, a result of the casting process when these pieces were made. An old vertical scratch appears in the right obverse field, but otherwise, this is a lovely example of the rare New Hampshire copper.