1737 Higley Copper Threepence - Three Hammers, VALVE ME AS YOU PLEASE

Coin Details

Auction Record

$58,750 • VF20 • 08-2014 • Stack's Bowers

Description

Bearing the famously defiant legend VALVE ME AS YOU PLEASE (using the Latin V for U), this 1737 Higley Copper threepence documents a pivotal moment in the series' production history. According to numismatic tradition, Dr. Samuel Higley originally inscribed his copper pieces with THE VALUE OF THREE PENCE, but when local merchants and tavern keepers objected to a private individual declaring the value of his own coinage, Higley responded by changing the legend to the more audacious VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE — essentially challenging each recipient to assign whatever worth they deemed appropriate. Struck from copper mined at the Higley family's private mine near Granby, Connecticut, the coin weighs approximately 9 grams with a 28 mm diameter and plain edge. The Three Hammers reverse design depicts three blacksmith's hammers arranged in a triangular pattern, symbolizing the metalworking craft that produced these pieces. Cataloged as W-8210, Freidus 2.2-B, Breen 240, and Crosby VIII-23, this variety is rated R.6+ with approximately 8-12 examples known to survive. An example graded VF20 realized $58,750 at Stack's Bowers in August 2014. The VALUE ME AS YOU PLEASE legend has become one of the most celebrated inscriptions in American numismatics, embodying the independent spirit of colonial New England commerce and making these pieces highly desirable crossover collectibles for both numismatists and Americana enthusiasts. Each surviving specimen carries the distinction of being among the earliest coins struck from domestically mined American copper.

Rarity Notes

R.6+. Approximately 8-12 known.

Cross References

W-8210, Freidus 2.2-B, Breen 240, Crosby VIII-23