It’s happened…again. We’re officially hip deep in an election year. That used to be involving and interesting. Now, no one seems at all happy with the slate of nominees. From left or right, up or down, all we mostly hear is ardent negativity meaning people only plan to vote against a candidate rather than for one. For the nation, the big issues are the wholesale illegal immigration invasion on the southern border, inflation, and our involvement in Ukraine, Gaza, and the Middle East.
If you think we have domestic troubles now – and we do – dial the clock back 250 years to our colonial days. The halcyon image of a jolly Ben Franklin printing his Poor Richards Almanac and colonist feasting on turkey and corn is, at best, a slice of a bygone fantasy....
In the 1760s and ‘70s the primary threat to American contentment was Great Britain. We weren’t yet the United States. That term was coined by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Prior to that, we were “the colonies” or, sometimes, “the united colonies.”
Just how divisive Great Britain had become was evident in 1765 when they imposed The Stamp Act. Britain taxed colonists for every sheet of a newspaper, stationery, printing paper, and more. It was the same year an act was passed allowing British soldiers to bed down in any colonial home.
A few years later, in 1773, Britain doubled down with a hefty tax on tea being shipped to the colonies. In opposition, a group of 60 colonists against the levy and subsequent taxation without representation staged the Boston Tea Party where 342 chests of British tea were destroyed and thrown into Boston Harbor. All of these were precursors to the looming Revolutionary War.
An ancient Greek is quoted as saying, “Time heals all wounds.” Today, that’s exemplified by England and the United States. Once warring nations, we are now the closest of allies.
Many examples of “hands across the sea” have happened since – notably the mutual involvement in World Wars I and II. One thing we’ve never really shared is our coinage or monetary system.
In the earliest days of the American colonies, long before the US Mint was established, coinage used were silver and gold Spanish cobs and escudos. Those were widely traded and recognized throughout the western hemisphere. Similarly, coins from the Netherlands and Ireland circulated among colonists and merchants. Over time, more British coins and tokens were in use. That didn’t sit well. Individual states such as Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut began to strike their own copper coins. Many examples of those coins today are worth thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.
The reverse of the one-ounce silver medal features a rising sun over the Atlantic Ocean between the coasts of the two nations. On one western shore is a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine tree. An English Yew tree stands in the east. The trees represent the friendship of the mutual countries. Inscribed at the top are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “LIBERTY AND BRITANNIA.”
The one-ounce gold coin is identical in appearance except that “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the denomination “$100” has been added as required to make it a “Legal Tender” issue. Also, on the gold coin is the addition of “AU 24 1 OZ” denoting the gold purity and weight.
The precious metal composition of each coin is 99.99 percent pure silver and gold respectively. The silver medallion is being struck in Philadelphia while the gold coin is minted in West Point, NY. Struck in “proof” condition, quantities are 75,000 for the silver and just 10,000 for the gold. The numbers being produced are low in quantity but not exceptionally so. One point…because the coin and medal salute both nations, there could be double the demand from collectors here and “across the pond.” Something speculators/investors might consider.
Both items are currently sold by the US Mint. For more information or to order, log onto www.USMint.gov.
For more collecting information and advice, log on to: http://prexford.com/.