1776年美洲大陆美元 PCGS AU Details
1776 (1783) Continental "Dollar". Newman 1-C, W-8445. Rarity-3. CURENCY. Pewter. AU Details--Cleaned (PCGS). This is a visually appealing example from this iconic issue that looks exceptionally nice for the assigned grade. The obverse exhibits faint hairlines and a touch of glossiness to the texture that explain the PCGS qualifier, although that side has retoned quite nicely in steel-gray. The reverse is more original in appearance with a rich blend of pewter and steel-gray patina. There is an ancient carbon deposit on the obverse at the letters FU in FUGIO, but there are no significant handling marks on either side. The strike is nicely centered and well executed, all features boldly to sharply defined to nicely exhibit this classic design.<p>The Continental "dollar" is an enigmatic type for which no specific documentation detailing its origin has ever been found. It was popularly theorized that the Continental Congress intended these pieces to serve in lieu of the $1 note beginning in the latter half of 1776. Although the authors of early publications obviously believed that the Continental "dollars" were coins of American manufacture, no documentary evidence was provided to substantiate this claim.<p>Recent research and a two-part article by Erik Goldstein and David McCarthy entitled "The Myth of the Continental Dollar" published in the January and July 2018 editions of <em>The Numismatist</em> challenge the long accepted theories surrounding these coins. They discovered that a long string of early Americans -- people who were actually in a position to provide concrete facts about these pieces -- went on the record to mention that they had never seen or heard of such a thing as a Continental dollar coin. Goldstein and McCarthy also point out that the two best known American-reference medals of 1783 were initially sold with what the French called an "explication," a simple handbill or flyer explaining the designs and where they came from. The Libertas Americana medal was sold with one. Betts-610, the usually pewter medal coined to celebrate the Treaty of Paris, was also sold with one. And so, too, was the Continental "dollar," furthering the argument for a production date of 1783, not 1776.<p><p>That the Continental "dollar" was intended as a medal and not a coin, and that it was struck in London in 1783 instead of an unknown American location in 1776, changes very little in the scheme of things. The Libertas Americana medal was coined in Paris but is consistently rated as among the most desirable American numismatic collectibles; the Continental "dollar" should not forfeit a similar place in the hearts of American collectors. It remains scarce, historic, highly desirable and valuable. From the James D. Brilliant Collection.
