1790 Baltimore Three Pence - Standish Barry

Coin Details

Auction Record

$143,750 • AU55 • 09-16-2008 • Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

Struck in silver by Standish Barry, a Baltimore watchmaker and silversmith, this threepence is one of the most famous privately issued coins in American numismatics. Cataloged as Breen 1019 and W-8510, with PCGS CoinFacts listing under #609, the obverse displays a portrait believed to represent James Calhoun, the first mayor of Baltimore, surrounded by the legend "BALTIMORE TOWN JULY 4, 90" — the date referencing the Fourth of July 1790 celebration at which Barry reportedly distributed these coins. The reverse shows the denomination THREEPENCE with Barry's name, directly identifying the maker in a manner unusual for colonial-era coinage. Approximately 15 to 24 specimens survive from what was likely a very small original production, making this one of the significant rarities in the Post-1776 Private and Regional Issues series. Barry's dual occupations as watchmaker and silversmith gave him the technical skills necessary to engrave dies and strike coins in precious metal, and his threepence represents one of the few instances of a single identifiable American craftsman designing, producing, and distributing his own coinage issue. The silver composition and the connection to Baltimore's Independence Day celebration of 1790 give this piece both intrinsic and historical value, while the portrait of Mayor Calhoun places it among the earliest American coins to depict an identifiable living person. The small surviving population ensures that every auction appearance generates significant competition among advanced colonial coin collectors.