Q.David Bowers
Some of the circumstances surrounding the issue of 1783 pattern coins were recorded by Robert R. Morris, the financier. His diary noted that on April 2, 1783, "I sent for Mr. Dudley who delivered me a piece of silver coin, being the first that has been struck as an American coin."
On April 16th it was noted that he "sent for Mr. Dudley and urged him to produce the coin to lay before the Congress to establish a mint." On the following day, the 17th, he "sent for Mr. Dudley to urge the preparing of coins, etc. for establishing a mint." Morris reported on April 22nd that: "Mr. Dudley sent in several pieces of money as patterns of the intended American coins." On July 5th he noted that "Mr. Benjamin Dudley ... also informs of a minting press being in New York for sale, and urges me to purchase for the use of the American Mint."
On August 19th he reports as follows:
I sent for Mr. Benjamin Dudley, informed him of my doubts about the establishment of a mint and desired him to think of some employment in private service, in which I am willing to assist him in all my power. I told him to make out an account for the services he had performed for the public and submit at the Treasury office for inspection and settlement.
On August 30th it was reported that "Mr. Dudley brought the dies for coining in the American Mint."
The dies for the bit and quint were cut by hand. The largest denomination, the mark, was made by the use of prepared punches. The pedigree of two pieces, the mark and the quint, obtained by John W. Haseltine in 1872 and years later sold into the Garrett Collection, was attested to by the seller, Rathmell Wilson, who on May 28, 1872, stated:
The history of the two coins which you obtained from me, viz. Nova Constellatio 1783, U.S. 1,000, Nova Constellatio, 1783 U.S. 500 is as follows.
They were the property of Hon. Charles Thomson, secretary of the first Congress. At his death the property was left by will to his nephew, John Thomson, of Newark, state of Delaware. These two coins were found in the desk of the said deceased Charles Thomson, and preserved by his nephew during his life; at his death they came into the possession of his son Samuel E. Thomson of Newark, Delaware, from whom I received them. So you will perceive that their genuineness cannot be questioned; as they were never out of the possession of the Thomson family, until I received them.
Charles Thomson, born in County Derry, Ireland in 1729, came to America in his youth. He became a teacher and merchant in Philadelphia. Interested in politics, Thomson espoused the feeling for independence and was described as "the life of the cause of liberty" in Philadelphia.
From 1774 to 1789 he served as secretary of the Continental Congress, recording with enthusiasm the details of the birth of the United States. His hope of receiving an appointed office in the new federal government was not realized, so he retired to his estate where he engaged in biblical scholarship. He died near Philadelphia in 1824. Among the accounts of the United States, under the category of "Expenditure for Contingencies," between January and July 1783, the following entries appear in relation to coinage:
February 8. Jacob Eckfeldt, for dies for the Mint of North America, $5 and 18/90ths.
March 21. Benjamin Dudley employed in preparing a mint. $75 and 24/90ths.
April 17. John Swanwick, for dies for the public mint $22 and 42/90ths.
May 5. A. Dubois, for sinking, casehardening, etc., for pairs of dies for the public mint $72.
June 30. Benjamin Dudley employed in preparing a mint $77 and 60/90ths.
Of the 1783 mark just one specimen is known, the example which traces its pedigree to Hon. Charles Thomson. The obverse displays an all-seeing eye surrounded by rays and stars, with the legend NOVA CONSTELLATIO around. The reverse bears the legend LIBERTAS JUSTITIA 1783, a wreath, and within the wreath U.S 1,000.
Of the quint there are but two specimens known to exist, each of which is a slightly different design. The obverse of one is similar to the mark, but of reduced size, and with the legend NOVA CONSTELLATIO surrounding an all-seeing eye with rays and stars. The second variety has the all-seeing eye with rays and stars, but lacks the NOVA CONSTELLATIO inscription. The reverse of both is similar to the mark but with the denomination 500.
Of the bit there are but two examples known, both of which have the same obverse and reverse design but differ in the treatment of the edge, the Garrett Collection piece having an edge with an olive leaf design, and the Eric P. Newman Collection piece having a plain edge. The obverse and reverse designs are similar to the mark but are of reduced size and bear the denomination 100.
Nova Constellatio Copper Coinage
In 1783 Gouverneur Morris, assistant superintendent of finance with the Continental Congress 1781-1785, and proponent of the 1,000-unit decimal coins and their fractional parts, the quint and the bit, ordered as a private venture a large quantity of coins bearing somewhat similar Nova Constellatio designs.
Morris (1752-1816) was born in Morrisania, New York, on the family estate. Graduating from King's College with a degree in law in 1768, he was admitted to the bar in 1771. He was an early supporter of the cause for independence. In July 1776 he participated in the New York State constitutional convention and with John Jay and Robert Livingston helped draft the 1777 frame of government which endured for nearly a half century. In 1778-1779 he was a member of the Continental Congress. Military, diplomatic, and financial matters interested him, and Morris chaired several committees. In 1778 he visited George Washington at Valley Forge to inspect the troops there. Seeking reelec-tion to the Continental Congress in 1779, he was defeated. He became a citizen of Philadelphia where he engaged in the practice of law and participated in society. His February-April 1780 articles on Continental finance which appeared in the Pennsylvania Packet attracted the interest of Robert Morris (no relation), the superintendent of finance, to enlist Gouverneur Morris as his assistant. Serving from 1781 to 1785, he conceived the decimal system of coinage.