Colonial Restrikes and Fantasies

About This Series

The 19th-century passion for collecting early American coins spawned a parallel industry of restrikes and fantasy pieces. Colonial restrikes were produced from original dies that survived decades after initial strikings — the New Haven Fugio cent restrikes of the 1858-1860s by Horatio N. Rust and the Castorland medal restrikes from Duvivier's Paris Mint dies are prominent examples. Fantasy pieces went further, creating coins that never existed as authorized originals, combining imaginative designs with colonial themes. Notable producers including C.C. Idler, Thomas Elder, and J.A. Bolen served the growing numismatic marketplace. While not original colonial issues, these pieces occupy a recognized position within the field — they document the history of American numismatic collecting itself, revealing what 19th-century collectors valued. Standard references including Breen, Baker, and Whitman catalog them alongside originals, and many carry substantial collector value. The distinction between restrike, authorized copy, and fantasy remains a subject of scholarly investigation.