"1781" AE Token North American, BN (Regular Strike)
Series: U.S. Colonial Issues
PCGS AU58+BN
PCGS AU58BN
PCGS AU55BN
- PCGS #:
- 589
- Designer:
- N/A
- Edge:
- N/A
- Diameter:
- N/A
- Weight:
- N/A
- Mintage:
- N/A
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- Other
- Auction Record:
- $5,581 • AU55 • 02-22-2013 • Stack's Bowers
Major Varieties
- "1781" AE Token North American, BN
Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 PCGS AU58+
“The Don Willis Collection of US Coinage,” Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 3835 – $4,465. Pin-sized tick below "R" of COMMERCE. |
|
#2 PCGS AU58
As PCGS AU58 #50007933. Heritage Auctions, June 2, 2005, Lot 5026 – $1,035. As PCGS AU58 #22013967. Heritage Auctions, January 1, 2006, Lot 454 – $2,990; Heritage Auctions, July 7, 2006, Lot 60 – $4,312.50; Heritage Auctions, November 29, 2012, Lot 3061 – $1,527.50; Heritage Auctions, December 4, 2014, Lot 3037 – $1,762.50; Heritage Auctions, April 26, 2017, Lot 3033 – $2,115. Dark toning under harp, date, and TH. |
|
#2 PCGS AU58
“The Liberty Collection of American Colonial Coinage, Part Three,” Heritage Auctions, May 29, 2008, Lot 1990 – $2,760. Struck slightly off-center. Microgranular surfaces, yet die lines still present. |
|
#2 PCGS AU58
"The AKSH Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). |
| #2 PCGS AU58 |
|
#2 PCGS AU58
|
|
#7 PCGS AU55
"The James E. Blake Collection of United States Colonial Coins & Tokens," Heritage Auctions, September 5, 2023, Lot 93133 - $1,320. Rich walnut color. Tiny spot of old verdigris near the second to last string on the harp. |
| #7 PCGS AU55 |
| #7 PCGS AU55 |
| #7 PCGS AU55 |
| #7 PCGS AU55 |
The "1781" North American AE Token
The North American AE Token (#589) is an intriguing numismatic deception from the early 19th century. Although it prominently displays the date 1781, research suggests it was actually struck in Dublin, Ireland, between 1810 and 1820. This backdating was a calculated move to bypass the United Kingdom Parliament’s prohibition on private token issues; by projecting an "illusion of age," the creators hoped to pass the pieces off as legal, pre-existing currency.
To further ensure the public would accept the tokens as "good copper," the dies were intentionally distressed during production to make new coins appear naturally worn. Struck in both copper and brass, these tokens weigh between 116 and 117 grains, matching the standards of contemporary issues from Birmingham, England. In the late 1970s, numismatist Doug Winter attributed the design to the notable engraver William Mossop, Jr., whose father was also a distinguished figure in the craft.
The token’s imagery reflects its Irish origins and commercial intent. The obverse features Hibernia, the personification of Ireland, seated and facing left while steadying an Irish harp. The inscription NORTH AMERICAN TOKEN wraps around the design with the date 1781 positioned in the exergue. The reverse depicts a two-masted British sailing ship with a Union Jack flying at the stern, topped by the word COMMERCE. Both faces are framed by beaded borders, though the beads on the reverse are smaller and more numerous.
Evidence of the token's long-term utility is found in the Aaron White Hoard, a collection amassed leading up to and during the American Civil War. Seven examples were cataloged by dealer Édouard Frossard, proving that these tokens remained in active circulation through the mid-19th century. Because the dies were manufactured to look aged and the coins were used extensively in trade, this curious issue is not known to exist in Mint State. Despite this, several of the finest known pieces in PCGS AU55 and PCGS AU58 are quite attractive.
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