1776 Continental Currency - Pewter Dollar (Type 2)

Coin Details

Description

Bearing the correctly spelled "CURRENCY" — actually less common than the misspelled variants — this Type 2 pewter Continental Currency dollar is cataloged as Newman 2-C and Whitman 8407. The Continental Currency dollar, struck in 1776, is one of the most iconic and debated coins in American numismatics, with scholars still disagreeing over whether it was intended as a circulating coin, a pattern, or a commemorative piece. The obverse features a sundial design with the mottos FUGIO and MIND YOUR BUSINESS (later reused on the 1787 Fugio cent), along with the date and CONTINENTAL CURRENCY inscription. The reverse displays an interlocking chain of thirteen links representing the united colonies with the motto AMERICAN CONGRESS and WE ARE ONE at center. The Type 2 designation distinguishes this specific die combination from other correctly spelled "Currency" die marriages, with differences in details such as the positioning of the sundial rays or the spacing of reverse legends. Multiple dies were hand-cut for this issue, and the frequency of spelling errors across the die population — including "CURRENCEY" and other variants — reflects the challenges of manual die engraving under wartime conditions. Pewter was the most common composition for Continental Currency dollars, with silver and brass examples being extreme rarities. Rare despite being the most available metal type, correctly spelled "Currency" dies are paradoxically less common than misspelled versions, making the Newman 2-C die combination a notable variety within the broader Continental Currency dollar census.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Correctly spelled "Currency" dies are less common than misspellings.

Cross References

Newman 2-C; Whitman 8407