Lot 89
1796 Castorland Silver Medal. Unbroken die. PCGS graded MS-64. A rare original example of this medal, that approaches gem! The surfaces display a delicate pinkish hue over silvery gray tones atop the mirror fields. Boldly struck on both sides, without any signs of weakness on the high points of the devices. These were struck at the Paris Mint, and were made to circulate in the new French colony being formed in upper New York, along the Beaver River. As the political climate changed dramatically with the French Revolution in 1792, those who had been in power or sympathetic to the Royals feared for their safety. The Reign of Terror began, and many aristocrats were hung or jailed. Those that could moved away, and some signed on to move to the new French American colony.
The legend FRANCO AMERICANA COLONIA translates to "French American Colony", with the central head device that depicts a women with a veil, and an unusual crown which appears like the crenelated tower from a castle. The French word "Castor", translates to "beaver", hence the colony became known as Castorland. Hence, the beaver motif on the bottom of the reverse, with the maple tree above, next to which stands the Goddess Ceres, patroness of agriculture, with a drill in one hand (to free the maple sap from the tree), and the open tap in the tree below, with the sap flowing freely, and a cornucopia in the other hand symbolizing the hoped for success in agriculture from the new colony. The Latin motto SALVE MAGNA PARENS FRUGUM, means "Hail, great mother of crops" (Breen), and is from Virgil's Georgics.
Epidemics and severe winters plagued those hearty souls in the first years of the new colony, and in short order most of the original inhabitants of Beavertown had either died or moved away, and within a few more years nothing remained of the colony except the original name. Most of the coins that arrived with the colonists were well circulated during these times, and few are found in mint condition, as we see here.
The Paris Mint retained the original dies, and continued to make more of these to order, but the reverse die cracked fairly early in the process, and subsequent strikes show a die crack. Further, the restrikes were of lighter weight, and can be easily distinguished from these originals. PCGS has graded a total of 15 of these in all grades of the originals, this one is tied for the finest with 2 others. Certainly an important coin for the colonial specialist, as many of these did circulate in America near their time of issue having been brought over with a few asylum seekers from post revolutionary France.
Estimated Value $7,000 - 9,000.
From the Paul Arthur Norris Collection and purchased privately.
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| Realized $7,763 |
