www.LasVegasCollectibles.com
Monday, September 19, 2005
(Las Vegas, NV) - The first gold coin made in the United States, hand-struck in 1787 in New York City by George Washington's neighbor, will be displayed in Nevada for the first time as part of a cross-country exhibition tour.
Insured for $6 million, the unique Brasher Doubloon will be publicly displayed, October 28 - 30, 2005, at the American Numismatic Association Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Show in Las Vegas in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The show is open to the public.
"It's one of the most important coins in American history," said Christopher Cipoletti, Executive Director of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), a nonprofit, 33,000-member organization (www.money.org). "The Brasher Doubloon was struck in 1787 by George Washington's Manhattan neighbor, silversmith and well-known political figure of the day, Ephraim Brasher."
The legendary half-dollar sized gold coin was purchased at an auction earlier this year by Steven L. Contursi, President of Rare Coin Wholesalers of Dana Point, California. He subsequently invited ANA Governor and gold coin expert, Dr. Donald Kagin, to be part-owner of the historic coin.
Only seven Brasher Doubloons of this type survive today, and the one coming to Las Vegas is unique. It is the only one with the designer's initials, "EB," punched across the breast of an eagle depicted on the coin Other surviving examples have the initials on the eagle's wing, according to Cipoletti.
"Being the first gold coin struck in the United States makes the Brasher Doubloon a national treasure with tremendous significance for American history. It underscores the beginnings of our economic system," said Contursi who is setting up educational displays of his coin across the country.
The fabled coin was the subject of a 1942 Raymond Chandler novel, The High Window, and a subsequent 1947 movie, The Brasher Doubloon, based on Chandler's Philip Marlowe detective story.
Prominent numismatic author, dealer and former ANA President, Q. David Bowers, described the punch-on-breast Brasher Doubloon as "the single most important coin in American numismatics."
Researcher David McCarthy echoed that comment in a recent article in the Brasher Bulletin newsletter: "The Brasher Punch-on-Breast Doubloon is the first gold coin of a distinctly American design to be denominated in Dollars and struck to the standard that would be adopted for all U.S. gold coins. It is the first truly American gold coin, and is the forebear of all gold coins struck by the United States. No other U.S. Colonial or Federal coin can lay claim to such historical significance, placing Brasher's first New York-Style Doubloon in a class by itself. The history surrounding its origins, its distinction as the product of the first issuer of private gold coins in America and its status as the first gold coin depicting specific American themes make the Brasher Punch-on-Breast Doubloon the single most important coin in the canon of American numismatics."
The unique Brasher Doubloon was kept in Baltimore for nearly 100 years when it was owned by Baltimore & Ohio Railroad magnate, T. Harrison Garrett and his family, and later by Johns Hopkins University. Since purchasing it in January in Florida, Contursi has exhibited the famous coin with educational displays in Atlanta, St. Louis, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Santa Clara, California. This will be its first ever public display in Nevada.
The ANA Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Show in Las Vegas is sponsored by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and is held in conjunction with the Las Vegas Antique Arms Show™.
The show will be in Shoreline Room "A" on the second floor of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center South, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Public hours are Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, October 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $10 per day; children under 12 admitted free. Half-price coupons are available on line at www.LasVegasCollectibles.com
For additional information prior to October 27, call (949) 261-0509 extension 244; from October 27 through October 30 call (702) 632-7777 extension 64533.
On line: www.LasVegasCollectibles.com