UNITED STATES OF AMERICA~Fugio Cent 1787

Moneta January 15, 2017

This is a GREAT original example of a very historic piece - thanks for posting!!

Moneta January 15, 2017

Grading is difficult and key to these earliest of US cents. Checking several for review today, graded by PCGS and NGC, I'm confident that this specimen is at least VF or better. I'm inspired the send for the book from the ANA Library in order to determine the variety of your example. Do you know the variety? I'd send you a digital copy if I borrow the book. Let me know if you are seeking to send this back to the country of origin ;-)

Zantetsuken January 17, 2017

Thanks. I'm not sure what the variety is on this. I rarely collect U.S. coins, but this one caught my eye almost two years ago. If you can find out anything, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Moneta January 18, 2017

Naturally, there are specialized books just on this issue that examine in extreme detail every variety and die state. In general, this example appears to be described in the 'Red Book' as a "Pointed Rays," "Cinquefoil After Date", with a sub-variety as "STATES UNITED at Sides of Circle & Cinquefoils on Label." This places it in a more common variety. The Red Book states that and entire barrel of Fugio Cents was discovered in a Wall St. Bank of New York in 1856 and that they were all uncirculated and being handed out for years to certain customers. By 1948 the bank still had 1,641 and that many are still held by the bank. This one may be one of those because the grade may be nearly UNC (they were all brown) and just struck from worn dies. Value today is at least $2k.

Moneta January 24, 2017

Zantetsuken: Here's a viewable die study with decent photos, I hope the link is useful.
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/514567?page=6

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