Q.David Bowers
Sylvester S. Crosby quotes a letter from B. H. Hall of Troy, New York, to Charles I. Bushnell, of New York City, dated March 3, 1855, which gives a brief biography of Harmon and tells of the mint: Reuben Harmon, Jr. came from Suffield, Connecticut, in company with his father, Reuben Harmon, Sr., about the year 1768, and settled in the northeast part of Rupert, Vermont. He was a man of some note and influence while there.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants held at Dorset, September 25, 1776, initiatory to their Declaration of Independence, Mr. Reuben Harmon [probably Jr.], was one of the representatives from Rupert. He was representative in the Vermont Legislature from Rupert in 1780, was justice of the peace from 1780 to 1790, and held several minor offices. In the year 1790 or thereabouts he left Rupert, for that part of the State of Ohio called New Connecticut, and there died long since.
His Mint House was located near the northeast corner of Rupert, a little east of the main road leading from Dorset to Pawlet, on a small stream of water called Millbrook, which empties into Pawlet River. It was a small building, about 16 by 18 feet, made of rough materials, sided with unplaned and unpainted boards. It is still standing, but its location and uses are entirely different from what they were originally. Its situation at present is on the border of the adjoining town of Pawlet whither it was long since removed, and what was once a coin house is now a corn house.
Col. William Cooley, who had worked at the goldsmith's trade in the city of New York, and who afterwards moved to Rupert, made the dies and assisted in striking the coin. The same correspondent wrote to Charles I. Bushnell on July 18, 1855, with additional information:
The sun dial, or "Mind Your Business" copper coin, common in New England at the close of the last and at the commencement of the present century, was first manufactured by Abe! Bue! at New Haven, Connecticut, the original dies having been designed and cut by himself, Not long after this, his son William Bue!, removed from the manufactory to the town of Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont, and in connection with a Mr. Harmon, established the minthouse on what is now known as Millbrook. William had taken with him the original dies used by his father at New Haven, and continued at Rupert the coinage of the coppers above referred to, until the coin had depreciated so much in value as to be worthless or nearly so, for circulation. The remains of the dam which rendered the waters of Millbrook eligible are still to be seen, and pieces of copper and specimens of the old coin are still occasionally picked up on the site of the old mill and in the brook below.
It is not known today whether Fugio coppers, referred to as the "Mind Your Business copper coin" above, were actually struck in Vermont, for the act which authorized Reuben Harmon, Jr. to strike coins specifically delineated the type of coins to be struck and provided strong penalties if there were deviations from those authorized. Eric P. Newman, writing "A Recently Discovered Coin Solves a Vermont Numismatic Enigma" in The Centennial Publication of the American Numismatic Society, New York, 1958, states the opinion that Buel brought with him punches and tools but not coining dies. It was related that William Buel had become involved in an altercation with Indians who accused Buel of killing one of their number. It seems that Buel had obtained from a druggist a quantity of acid, and upon returning to his residence with a jug of this substance he was approached by some Indians who wanted to drink what they thought was rum. Buel told them the jug contained acid and would poison them, but the Indians did not believe it. Taking the jug from Buel, one of them swallowed a substantial portion and died soon thereafter from the effects. Buel was then accused of killing the Indian, and in accordance with tradition the dead man's companions sought revenge in kind. To escape the situation Buel fled to Rupert, Vermont, a recently settled area distant from Connecticut.
Abel Buel, William Buel's father, was involved in a number of adventures, including the counterfeiting of paper currency.
The first coins produced by Harmon had a scenic motif and portrayed on the obverse a typical Vermont rocky mountain ridge forested with pine trees. To the right a sun peeping over the ridge appeared. Surrounding was the legend VERMONTIS RES PUBLICA and the date 1785.This was the Latinization of "Vermont Republic." The translation of "Vermont" into Latin was never standardized, so in 1785 and 1786 such varieties as the aforementioned "VERMONTIS" were seen as well as such variations as "VERMONTS" and the lengthy "VERMONTENSIUM." On the lower part of the obverse was a plow, and beneath it, the date.
The reverse depicted an all-seeing eye from which emanated 13 short rays, with a star above each, and 13 long rays. The legend STELLA QUARTA DECIMA ("the 14th star," a reference to Vermont's ambition to become the 14th state) surrounded.
In 1786 it was decided that the Vermont coppers, being of a unique design not familiar to the citizens of Vermont or surrounding states, did not circulate as well as they would have if the design had been a more standard motif. Accordingly, new obverses and reverses were adopted. One style, known today as the Baby Head variety, depicted a boyish bust facing right, with the legend AUCTORI VERMON: ("by the authority of Vermont") surrounding. The reverse depicted the seated figure of a woman modeled after the familiar Britannia used on contemporary British issues. The legend INDE ET LIB (an abbreviation for "independence and liberty' ') surrounded. The date 1786 was below. It apparently was felt that this design, while closer to the familiar coppers in circulation than the sun-over-mountains, could be improved further, so later in 1786 a new style featuring the bust of King George II facing to the left, copied from contemporary British halfpennies, was introduced. The inscriptions remained the same as did the seated figure on the reverse. Later, in 1787, a new style was adopted; a motif with the bust of King George III facing to the right. The Vermont inscriptions were retained.
The initial coining franchise was granted to Harmon for a period of two years. Before the expiration, Harmon, on October 23, 1786, petitioned the General Assembly to extend the term on the grounds that it was too short to indemnify him for the great expense of erecting a factory, acquiring machinery, and otherwise beginning the coinage of copper.
On October 24, 1786, the franchise was extended. The design was officially modified, and following an initial period, Harmon was to pay a royalty for the coining privilege: Be it enacted by the General Assembly in the State of Vermont that there be and hereby is granted and confirmed to the said Reuben Harmon, Jr., Esq., the exclusive right of coining copper within the state, for a further term of eight years from the first day of July, 1787; and that all copper by him coined shall be in pieces weighing not less than four pennyweight, fifteen grains each; and that the device for all coppers by him hereafter coined shall be, on the one side, a head with the motto "Auctoritate Vermontensium" abridged, and on the reverse a woman with the lettering INDE: ET LIB:, for "Independence and Liberty."
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the said Reuben shall have and enjoy the aforesaid privilege of coining coppers within the state free from any duty to this state as a compensation therefore, for the full term of three years from the first day of July, 1787; and from and after the expiration of said three the said Reuben shall pay for the use of this state two and one-half percent of all the copper he shall coin for and during the remainder of aforesaid term of eight years.