Massachusetts Copper Coins (Official) (1787-1788)

About This Coin

Massachusetts authorized its official copper coinage in 1787, making it one of the few states to establish a fully sanctioned mint operation during the Confederation period. The coins were struck in copper with plain edges, with dies cut by Joseph Callender, a Boston silversmith and engraver who created some of the most technically accomplished colonial American coin designs. The obverse features a standing Indian holding a bow and arrow with the word COMMONWEALTH, while the reverse displays a spread eagle on a shield with the denomination expressed as either CENT or HALF CENT, and the legend MASSACHUSETTS. This design program was remarkably sophisticated for its era, establishing clear denominational standards and employing iconography that drew on Massachusetts's colonial heritage. The Massachusetts copper coinage is distinguished from the private and semi-authorized issues of Connecticut, Vermont, and New Jersey by its fully official legislative authorization, standardized weights, and professionally executed designs. Production continued through 1788, generating numerous die varieties cataloged in the Ryder reference system that document the evolution of dies over the two-year coining period. The Indian and eagle motifs chosen for these coins represented a deliberate departure from the British royal portrait tradition, asserting an American visual identity rooted in indigenous imagery and the new national symbol. Collectors value Massachusetts coppers for their historical importance, artistic quality, and the fascinating die variety study they offer.