(1737) Higley Copper Threepence - Broad Axe, THE WHEELE GOES ROUND

Coin Details

Auction Record

$21,150 • Fine Details • 01-2014 • Stack's Bowers

Description

Believed to be unique — the sole confirmed surviving example of this die combination — the Broad Axe / THE WHEELE GOES ROUND variety stands as possibly the rarest Higley copper and one of the rarest pieces in all of American numismatics. Unlike the Three Hammers reverse used on most Higley coppers, this variety features a broad axe on the reverse paired with the whimsical legend THE WHEELE GOES ROUND, a phrase whose meaning has been debated by numismatic scholars for generations. Struck from copper mined at the Higley family's Granby, Connecticut mine, the coin weighs approximately 9 grams with a 28 mm diameter and plain edge. Cataloged as W-8250, Freidus 4.4-D, and Breen 243, with PCGS #213, this variety is rated URS-1 (Universal Rarity Scale indicating a single known specimen). An example graded Fine Details realized $21,150 at Stack's Bowers in January 2014, though the piece's authenticity has been debated within the numismatic community — a not uncommon situation for unique or near-unique colonial issues where no comparison specimens exist to establish die characteristics. The Broad Axe reverse design represents a significant departure from the Three Hammers motif, introducing an entirely different tool-themed composition, while THE WHEELE GOES ROUND may reference the circular motion of a grinding wheel, the wheel of fortune, or the cyclical nature of commerce — interpretations that scholars continue to explore. Whether ultimately confirmed as genuine or reclassified, this piece occupies a central position in the study of the Higley copper series.

Rarity Notes

Unique (URS-1). Only one confirmed example known. Authenticity debated.

Cross References

W-8250, Freidus 4.4-D, Breen 243