1794 Mule Talbot - Earl Howe London Edge

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Whitman 8615 and PCGS #979, this rare 1794 muling combines a Talbot, Allum & Lee cent obverse with an Earl Howe medal reverse, creating a fascinating hybrid piece that documents the interconnected die usage at the early Philadelphia Mint facility. Talbot, Allum & Lee were a New York City importing firm that commissioned copper cent-sized tokens in 1794-1795 depicting a sailing ship and a bale of goods, produced at the U.S. Mint under an arrangement that allowed private token production using Mint presses. The Earl Howe reverse commemorates Admiral Richard Howe's naval victory at the Battle of the First of June (also called the Glorious First of June) in 1794, when the British fleet defeated a French squadron in the Atlantic — a significant engagement during the French Revolutionary Wars. The lettered edge reading LONDON adds a transatlantic dimension, suggesting British die involvement or an English edge-lettering collar applied during the minting process. Struck in copper, weighing 10.5 grams with a 29 mm diameter, this piece resulted from the practice of mule striking — pairing obverse and reverse dies from unrelated coinage programs to create numismatic curiosities, whether intentionally for collector appeal or incidentally during die testing at the Mint. Rare as a muling, this piece appeals to multiple collecting specialties simultaneously: early U.S. Mint products, Conder-type tokens, colonial-era merchant tokens, and British naval commemoratives, making it a desirable crossover item at auction.

Rarity Notes

Rare muling.

Cross References

Whitman 8615