2019-07-04 Thu

America's Declaration of Independence was commemorated on silver dollar-size coins dated 1776 and inscribed Continental Currency.

The Continental Currency dollar coin a.k.a. Continental dollar coin, Fugio dollar, or Franklin dollar; was the first coin struck for the United States.[1] The coins were minted in 1776 and were made of pewter, brass, or silver.

In 1776, after the start of the American Revolutionary War, the United States started issuing its own banknotes denominated in Continental Currency. While no Continental Currency legislation authorizing a dollar coin has been discovered, no resolutions from July 22, 1776, through September 26, 1778, mentioned the one-dollar banknote, suggesting that it was to have been replaced by a coin.

Both sides of the coin were designed by Benjamin Franklin. The obverse of the coin features the sun shining on a sundial, the Latin motto "Fugio" (I flee/fly, referring to time flying by), and "Mind your business", a rebus meaning "time flies, so mind your business". The reverse features thirteen chain links representing a plea for the Thirteen Colonies unity.

A rare Silver 1776 Continental Currency dollar was sold for USD 1.41M on 16 May 2014 in Heritage Auctions’ sale in New York City.

Image Courtesy: https://www.ngccoin.com