A Project of the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment University of Notre Dame, Department of Special Collections

by Louis Jordan Images Coordinated by

James C. Spilman and the Colonial Newsletter Foundation

http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/StatePatterns.intro.html

The authenticity of the New Hampshire coins has long been questioned. Currently many numismatists do not believe any original examples were ever produced. It is thought all existing examples were made in the nineteenth century for the collector market. Recently one variety has been shown to be a nineteenth century forgery with the discovery of the hand made dies used to produce the items (sold in a Stack's auction in early 1998 as I recall). These nineteenth century copies have some value on the coin market, I would estimate in the range of $50.00 for example is very fine condition. However, many electrotypes and twentieth century copies exist, these copies have very little or no monetary value.

If you wish to have your item authenticated to determine if it is a hitherto unknown original, a nineteenth century forgery or a modern reproduction of a 19th century forgery, see the recommended services in the following paragraph. I have several inquiries each year about this coin (and about double that number on the Massachusetts patterns). I suspect most, if not all, of these inquiries are twentieth century reproductions with almost no numismatic value. See Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. New York: Doubleday, 1988, pp. 59-61 for a cautionary note on copies.

If you feel you item may be a hitherto unknown original and wish to have the coin authenticated the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) provides an authentication service. They will attribute and grade colonial coins. Their services and prices are listed on the web at:

http://pcgs.com/