1785 Immune Columbia - 14 Stars Pointed Rays

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged by Crosby and listed as Whitman 5620, this 1785 Immune Columbia copper features 14 pointed rays in the reverse sunburst design — one ray for each of the thirteen original states plus Vermont, which was anticipated as the fourteenth state (formally admitted in 1791). The star count itself is a political statement frozen in copper, documenting the Confederation-era expectation that Vermont's statehood was imminent and reflecting the optimism of a nation that saw itself as a growing constellation of sovereign states. The pointed rays are sharply defined with tapered terminals, distinguishing this variety from the blunt rays type where the ray ends are rounded. The IMMUNE COLUMBIA legend translates loosely as "Columbia is free" or "America is immune from tyranny," a declaration of the newly independent nation's sovereignty that resonated during the uncertain years between the end of the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the Constitution. Extremely rare, this piece belongs to a group of experimental copper patterns produced by private entrepreneurs during the Confederation period when no federal mint existed and various parties competed to supply coinage to the cash-starved states. The pointed rays and 14-star count serve as the key diagnostic features for attributing this variety, and their combination on a single die documents a specific moment in the political geography of the early republic when Vermont's admission was anticipated but not yet accomplished.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. The pointed rays and 14-star count are key diagnostics.

Cross References

Crosby; Whitman 5620