Kentucky or Starry Pyramid Token (1792)

obverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

reverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

[ca. 1792]                           Kentucky Token - lettered edge

Obverse:  UNANIMITY IS THE STRENGTH OF SOCIETY +     [in the center on a scroll]   OUR / CAUSE / IS / JUST
Reverse:  E PLURIBUS UNUM   [cinquefoil]
Edge:  PAYABLE IN LANCASTER LONDON OR BRISTOL

[click here for samples from the lettered edge, sample 1 ; sample 2 ; sample 3 ; sample 4 ; sample 5 ; sample 6

Weight:  185.0 g   (11.98 grams)             Diameter:  28.6 mm           Reverse die alignment: 180°

Comments:   Dalton and Hamer, Lancashire, Lancaster, no. 59. On the obverse there is a small die break, seen as a dot with a line moving down to the hand. Note that the size and weight of the planchet for this lettered edge example differs from the next plain edge example. Also, the punches used on this example differ from the following plain edge specimen. For example, note on the obverse of this coin the word "THE" has rather straight serifs at the bottom of the T and H, while on the following example the serifs are clearly arched in a v shape. Also, this somewhat smaller sized planchet does not show any denticle work at the rim. Although the rims in both examples differ, it seems hubs were used for the center designs for in both cases the designs appear to be quite similar. For example, note the placement of the rings under the K star and note the ring between RI and V with two rays attached to it; also, the placement of the letters within the stars, especially the double lettered states, appear to be quite similar in both examples. In each example one also sees evidence of the recutting of some rings as inside the ring between D and P at the bottom left and on the outside of the ring between P and Md (second stars in the bottom two rows). This leads one to suspect the identical design was impressed into different dies that were then lettered with diferent punches.

Provenance:  From the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Collection.

obverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

reverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

[ca. 1792]                           Kentucky Token - plain edge

Obverse:  UNANIMITY IS THE STRENGTH OF SOCIETY +     [in the center on a scroll]   OUR / CAUSE / IS / JUST
Reverse:  E PLURIBUS UNUM   [cinquefoil]

Weight:  148.6 g   (9.62 grams)             Diameter:  29.8 mm           Reverse die alignment: 180°

Comments:   Dalton and Hamer, Lancashire, Lancaster, no. 59c. On the obverse there is a small die break, seen as a dot with a line moving down to the hand. Note that the size and weight of the planchet for this plain edge example differs from the previous lettered edge example. Also, the punches used on this example differ from the lettered edge specimen. For example, note on the obverse of this coin the word "THE" has serifs arched in a v shape at the bottom of the T and H, while on the previous example the serifs are quite straight. Also, this somewhat larger sized planchet shows denticle work at the rim (on the bottom of the obverse and top of the reverse) while there is none on the smaller lettered edge example. Although the rims in both examples differ, it seems hubs were used for the center designs for in both cases the designs appear to be quite similar. For example, note the placement of the rings under the K star and note the ring between RI and V with two rays attached to it; also, the placement of the letters within the stars, especially the double lettered states, appear to be quite similar in both examples. In each example one also sees evidence of the recutting of some rings as inside the ring between D and P at the bottom left and on the outside of the ring between P and Md (second stars in the bottom two rows). This leads one to suspect the identical design was impressed into different dies that were then lettered with diferent punches.

Provenance:  From the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Collection.

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