1776 Continental Currency EG FECIT - Pewter Dollar

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Newman 4-E and Whitman 8413, this pewter Continental Currency dollar bears one of the most important inscriptions in early American numismatics: "EG FECIT," Latin for "EG made this." The initials EG have been attributed to Elisha Gallaudet, a New York silversmith and engraver active during the Revolutionary period, providing one of the few direct links between a named artisan and the dies used to produce this iconic 1776 coinage. Gallaudet's identification as the die cutter rests on the EG FECIT maker's mark combined with documentary evidence placing him in the orbit of Continental Congress officials who authorized the coin's production. The obverse features the celebrated sundial design with FUGIO and MIND YOUR BUSINESS — mottoes attributed to Benjamin Franklin — while the reverse displays the interlocking rings of the thirteen colonies with AMERICAN CONGRESS and WE ARE ONE. Pewter was chosen as the primary striking metal because silver and gold were urgently needed to fund the Revolutionary War, though rare examples exist in silver and brass compositions. The Newman 4-E die combination identifies the specific obverse and reverse pairing, with the EG FECIT inscription appearing on only certain die pairs. Rare across all varieties, the Continental Currency dollar with the EG FECIT mark holds special significance for researchers studying the artisan networks behind the earliest American coinage, as named die cutters are exceptionally uncommon in this period when most engraving work was anonymous.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The EG FECIT mark is an important attribution clue.

Cross References

Newman 4-E; Whitman 8413