Set
Category:
Thematic & Topical Coins
Set Name:
Resolute Americana Continental Dollar Collection
Set Description:
This is the most complete and finest quality Continental Currency Dollar set ever assembled with all metal types and die varieties represented. It is the result of combining among the finest specimens from the Newman and Partrick collections that required decades to build. It includes the new pewter 1-A dotted rings variety that Brian Koller of Heritage Auctions discovered in December 2014. These are the first coins of our United Independent Colonies and the design set the stage for the first coin of our republic, the Fugio cent. Johnathan Odell's poem, "The Congratulation," November 6,1779 (Rivington's Royal Gazette New York), denegrates the pewter dollar in its last stanza and thus, conveys the importance of the pewter dollar. He was a well followed colonial poet and loyal to King George III. In his position as the chief information purveyor (propagandist) for Benedict Arnold, he was able to have this poem widely distributed. The 1784 German almanac, "1700s in America," tranlated by two professors at the University of Missouri and then published in 2005 through the generous financial support from the almanac's owner Bob Keathley, used images of the Continental Dollar and the Libertas Ameriana to help convey the history and importance of our revolution. The Treaty of Paris medal, Betts-614, pays homage to the Continental Dollar on the reverse with the thirteen interlinking rings of the colonies as well as being struct in pewter with approximately the same weight and dimensions of that of the Continental Dollar. Finally, the silver Continental Dollars are of imense importance since they represent the first silver coin of our emerging nation and conveyed the message that it could and would coin in silver without the approval of King George III; thus, they represent additional tangible evidence of our Declaration of Independence. President Washingtion considered it of critical importance that our first federal coin be of silver too, as represented by the 1792 half disme. I have also included copies of both the Fugio cent and Treaty of Paris medal for viewing because of their direct linkage to the Continental Currency Dollar. One last comment, Joel Orosz, numismatic author extraordinaire, was very helpful while I was assembling this collection. I thank him for his insight and guidance. As I gain additional information and insight, I will update my commentary.
All images courtesy of Heritage Auctions from their respective auction catalogues.
UPDATES:
2/7/16
Update on the motto, "Mind Your Business." In researching the origin of this motto, on p.467 in the 1812 "Memoirs of the Life of David Rittenhouse, LLD, by William Barton," it states in footnote 17, "In the year 1756, he (Rittenhouse) made an eight-day clock, for his brother in-law, Mr. Barton: over the dial-plate of which, was engraven this mementory motto--Tempus fugit; and underneath, this blunt but too often necessary precept--Go about your business." Dr. Rittenhouse considered time to be more important then health. Additionally, in the American Journal of Numismatics, April 1887, p.90, it references this memoir's page and states,"...which seems to settle conclusively that this thrifty advice emanated from the clock-dial constructed by Rittenhouse some twenty years before." The "before" is in reference to the Continental currency of February 17, 1776 $1/6 that has the motto, "Mind you business," beneath a sundial and sun with the word,"Fugio," that has been ascribed to Benjamin Franklin. Why might this be important? Given that Dr. Rittenhouse was the first mint director and was also in Philadelphia in 1776, it is reasonable to assume that Benjamin Franklin would have been aware of Dr. Rittenhouse's view of the importance of time and thus, it was considered sage advice and he modified it. This adds another element to the story of the Continental dollar and why it is important to the foundation of our emerging country.
8/18/15
Newly added pewter 1-Ca, a sub-variety to the Newman 1-C classification, that is number 9 in the listing. It is a wide flange plain edge unique variety that adds a critical final element to the set. Comments and opinions by Mark Borckardt and Joel Orosz are included in the Owner Comments section for the coin.
6/16/15
For an excellent rebuttal to The Numismatic Chronicle commentary, please read David Fanning's, "A Few Notes on Catherine Eagleton’s Numismatic Chronicle Article on the Continental Dollar" that appeared in the current issue of The E-Sylum, Volume 18, Number 24, June 24, 2015, at http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v18n24.html. We are all in agreement in challenging this errant and unsubstantiated article.
6/13/15
On June 11, Joel Orosz, a well-respected numismatic author and historian, emailed me an article by Catherine Eagleton, "Collecting America: Sarah Sophia Banks and the 'Continental Dollar' of 1776," from The Numismatic Chronicle, volume 174, 2014, published by the Royal Numismatic Society. This article raises questions as to the true nature of the Continental Dollar and bases its conclusions on notes recorded by Ms. Banks, in her catalogues from approximately 1790 and 1815, that say they were "never current" and "that these were struck on speculation in Europe, for sale in America." Additionally, an advertisement, with no source or date, is offered as additional "proof." In my email response back to Joel, I challenged the article's assertions based upon information referenced in my Set Description above, as well as on other research I have done. Joel responded, "You raise some very important points." He also raised several issues as well, regarding method, location and quality of manufacture. He said, "The cataloger's note (by Jonas Dryander, librarian to Sarah Sophia's brother, Sir Joseph Banks), does not cite where the CD was struck in Europe, nor does it give a citation for its assertions." Additionally, "the workmanship, especially the letters, and the spacing thereof, does not look like the polished Soho Mint products--compare a CD to a 1791 Washington cent, and the difference is obvious." I also emailed the article to Mark Borckardt, Senior Cataloger of U.S. coins for Heritage Auctions and a numismatic author, for his opinion. He too questions the article's conclusions since it "seems to infer a great deal from an extremely limited and unsubstantiated source." I look forward to any additional insight he might have on this topic.
5/31/15
Today, Mark Borckardt, Senior Cataloger and Senior Numismatist for Heritage Auctions and author, confirmed that my MS 66 Pewter 3-D is in fact the same coin plated in the 1882 Bushnell auction cataglogue. This came as very positive news to me and I thank him for his diligent effort. In light of this new information, this may be the earliest plated confirmation of a Continental Dollar to date; however, this too needs to be confirmed. And so my journey continues.
5/30/15
BRASS 1-B: The remarkable Charles I. Bushnell collection was auctioned June 20-24,1882 by S.H.&H Chapman. Several Continental dollars were sold, including a brass 1-B (Lot 715) that brought the sizeable price of $28. At the time, it was considered extremely rare, since only 2 were known to exist, and important, as reflected by these quotes on pages 42 and 43: "These pieces we consider to be among the most interesting of American coins, as they were the first coins designed for the United States....; but one is known in silver (in the collection of Mr. L. G. Parmelee, of Boston). Continuing, "They (brass) are far rarer than collectors in general consider them to be, and some day will bring greater prices than they have." This view was prescient. The referenced silver coin is the one displayed in this collection. All the pewter dollars were considered rare or extremely rare.
PEWTER 3-D: Lot 713, plated, references a "Proof" example that sold for $5.75. Upon close examination of this photo, Plate 2, #713, I am reasonably confident that this coin is my MS 66, which has many proof-like characteristics. Several markers line up and this came as quite a pleasant surprise to me; thus, my recent acquisition of this catalogue has proven worthwhile.
5/26/15
I just acquired the Dr. Charles M. Clay auction catalogue by W.H. Strobridge that took place November 5-7, 1871, at Geo. A. Leavitt & Co. This auction included the first silver 1-C Continental dollar that is part of this collection as well as The Treaty of Paris medal, also included in the collection, plus a bronze Libertas Americana that is not. Details of their sales prices are included under each coin. For those who are unfamiliar with the Libertas Americana medal, it is considered among the finest and most important of medals relating to American history. It was conceived by Benjamin Frankin in late 1782 and coined in early 1783 in gold, silver and bronze. Only the silver and bronze survive with silver being the rarest, having an estimated population of just 20-25.
4/9/15
See comments on the brass 1-B regarding the possibility of a 3-D variety. I reference correspondence to Eric Newman and a response from Stuart Levine.
3/30/15
Additional information on the Silver Continental Dollars, 1-C and 3-D, from articles in the January 1907 and June 1909 editions of The Numismatist.
3/11/15
Added new brass 1-A with description and background.
Added new pewter 1-C with description and background.
Set Goals:
My goal was to assemble this set because of the historical importance of the Continental Dollar. My hope is that such a set may be helpful to those who have a serious interest in the beginnings of our nation's currency as well as its self-identity. In assembling it, I have gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of our country. I hope that anyone who views this set may experience similar feelings. I believe these coins, representative of our heritage, should be shared. Please enjoy the experience and thank you for stopping by for a visit.
For those of you interested in why I chose the name "Resolute" for the collection, it is because the word means a lot to me. First, it describes my personal nature very well. Secondly, it was the name of the acquisition company my future partners and I would use during the process of regaining our independence from a British corporation that I considered to be our own King George III. I chose as our battle flag one with seven interlinking rings with each of my future partner's names in each link. It was inspired by the thirteen rings on the Continental Dollar to reflect our strength of purpose and that "WE ARE ONE." "Resolute" also came from the story of HMS Resolute that sailed to the North Pole in 1851 to rescue a British expedition. Resolute itself became stranded and had to be abandoned. When the ship broke free, fisherman off of Nantucket Island salvaged it. Upon hearing of this, the US government bought it and had it refurbished. The US Navy sailed it to England and presented it as a gift to Queen Victoria in 1856 as an expression of our goodwill. It caused great jubulation through out the country. When it was decommissioned in 1880, Queen Victoria gave orders to have the finest part of the keel fashioned into a desk to be presented to President Rutherford B. Hayes. It is the desk that now resides in the Oval Office. Given the word's significance to me and also its historical importance, I thought it would be appropriate for my collection. I hope you agree.
Owner:
Roblou270
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