See us at the New Hampshire Coin & Currency Expo, Table #802, March 29-30

Updated: March 29th 6:51AM ET
(800) Coins-99:  7AM - 11PM ET EVERY DAY
08030614 08030614r

Breen-257, Breton-503 variety. Unique, with just this lone specimen in existence – one of just two Redbook listed colonials of any series, type or denomination as such in private hands (the other being the ‘Wheele Goes Round’ Higley Copper).

Authorized for French Colonial circulation by the edict of February 19, 1670, but apparently produced in only minuscule numbers as just this single example survives.

Perhaps the errant reverse legend, written as the DOUBLE DE LA MERIQUE FRANCOISE (2-Denier Piece of French America) explains why. America would have been correctly written as L’ AMERIQUE (and not LA MERIQUE) at that time, and it is possible that the production of this issue was scuttled based on that error.

And that in and of itself is significant, as to the best of our knowledge this was the first coin of any type or origin to actually bear the word ‘America’ (regardless of the spelling!) on it.

Much more could be written here about historical significance, rarity and value, but to us this piece can perhaps best be summarized as follows:  No collection of early American coins can be complete without this coin, and but one person will ever have that opportunity.

Ex Bowers December 1993 sale of the Norweb Collection, lot #705; earlier Breen Plate Coin #257; earlier Wayte Raymond; earlier B. G. Johnson; earlier Virgil Brand; earlier Count Ferrari; earlier Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris.

To order or inquire about this item, call us at 1-800-Coins-99 or email us at John@CoinRaritiesOnline.com or complete the form at the bottom of this page.