(1737) Higley Copper Threepence - Broad Axe, VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

Attributed to circa 1737 — slightly earlier than the dated 1739 issue — this Higley Copper Threepence with broad axe reverse and the legend "VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE" represents an early production from the Higley family's copper mining and coining operation in Granby, Connecticut. Samuel Higley mined copper near Granby, Connecticut, and with his brother John made the dies and struck these coppers from 1737; Samuel was lost at sea in 1737 and John carried on. Every obverse shows a deer: the first legend, THE VALVE OF THREE PENCE, gave way to VALVE ME AS YOU PLEASE and VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE, and one die shows a wheel with THE WHEELE GOES ROUND. The reverses show three crowned hammers with CONNECTICVT or I AM GOOD COPPER, or a broad axe with J CUT MY WAY THROUGH. Daniel Freidus recorded 8 obverse and 5 reverse dies in 15 marriages. The undated broad axe reverse reads J CUT MY WAY THROUGH (Freidus C) and is paired with the three VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE obverses (3.1-C, 3.2-C and 3.3-C, Crosby 23 to 25); Freidus counted 17.

Rarity Notes

17 known (Freidus 1994)

Cross References

Freidus 3.1-C; Freidus 3.2-C; Freidus 3.3-C; Crosby VIII-23; Crosby VIII-24; Crosby VIII-25