Colonial & Early American Coins
America's earliest coins — Spanish colonial pieces, state coppers, the Fugio cent, Continental Currency, and the first coins struck by the Philadelphia Mint.
8 parts · Free to read
Pre-Federal Coinage: Before the US Mint
Money in colonial America — the jumble of foreign coins, wampum, commodity money, and private issues that served as currency before the Constitution.
Spanish Colonial Coins in Early America
The "Pieces of Eight" that funded a nation — Spanish milled dollars, pillar dollars, and cob coins that were legal tender in America until 1857.
Colonial Coppers: State Issues & Private Mints
State-authorized coinages — Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York coppers, the Vermont landscape coins, and privately issued tokens of the colonial era.
The Fugio Cent: America's First Federal Coin
Benjamin Franklin's "Mind Your Business" — the 1787 Fugio cent, its design symbolism, the contract with James Jarvis, and collecting the many die varieties.
Continental Currency & Early Paper Money
Paper money that funded a revolution — Continental Currency, the hyperinflation that made it "not worth a Continental," and surviving examples collectors pursue.
Early US Mint Issues: Flowing Hair & Draped Bust
The first coins of the Philadelphia Mint — Flowing Hair and Draped Bust designs across all denominations, key dates, and the challenges of collecting early Mint issues.
Authenticating & Grading Early American Coins
Special considerations for pre-1800 coins — die states, planchet quality, adjustment marks, and why early American coin authentication requires specialized expertise.
Collecting Pre-1800 Coins: Market & Strategies
Building an early American collection — price expectations, condition rarity, the Colonial Coin Collectors Club, and strategies for acquiring scarce 18th-century coins.
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