1775 So-Called Dollar HK-865, Continental Eagle & Heron

Coin Details

Description

This Continental Dollar restrike (HK-865) reproduces the design of the famous 1776 Continental Currency Dollar, one of the most iconic pieces in early American numismatics. The Continental Currency Dollar of 1776 is one of the most iconic pieces in early American numismatics. Its obverse features a sundial with the sun's rays, the Latin motto FUGIO ('I fly,' referring to time), and MIND YOUR BUSINESS — a rebus attributed to Benjamin Franklin meaning 'time flies, so attend to your affairs.' The reverse displays thirteen linked rings, each bearing a colony's name, surrounding AMERICAN CONGRESS and WE ARE ONE. Dies were cut by Elisha Gallaudet, a New York engraver, who struck the pieces using a makeshift private mint in Freehold, New Jersey. The original was produced in pewter, brass, and silver, though no contemporaneous authorization from the Continental Congress has been found. The Continental Dollar's design legacy extends beyond its own series: the FUGIO sundial and linked-rings motifs were adopted for the 1787 Fugio Cent, the first coin authorized by the United States Congress. Whether Franklin intended the message for Great Britain or for ordinary colonists remains debated. The Bashlow restrikes are collected both as numismatic curiosities and as accessible alternatives to the exceptionally rare 18th-century originals. So-called dollars acquired their name because they are not true dollar coins but rather privately issued medals that approximate the size and weight of U.S. silver dollars. The collecting specialty emerged in the early 20th century and was formalized by the Hibler-Kappen catalog, which organized hundreds of diverse pieces — from exposition medals to political tokens to private monetary experiments — into a coherent collecting framework.

Rarity Notes

Confederation Dollar variants in the HK-858 through HK-866 range survive in moderate numbers. Various compositions exist across the series. These pieces attract interest from collectors of both so-called dollars and early American coinage reproductions.

Cross References

HK-865; PCGS #643632