After independence, Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York interests, and related authorities supplied coinage before federal production stabilized.

The normalized catalog covers 1776–1788 state-associated rows and keeps private post-independence issues separate.

Verified side pairMode A · presentation polish
Obverse1787 New Jersey copper reference pair obverse
Reverse1787 New Jersey copper reference pair reverse
1787 New Jersey copper reference pair

Representative same-object obverse and reverse. Mode A presentation polish removed only the source background; coin surfaces and diagnostics were not reconstructed.

Identity and classification

Object class
State or state-contracted coin
Authority
Confederation-era states and contractors
Classification boundary
Post-independence state coinage · state and die family required
Catalog status
Substantial structured catalog

A monetary landscape before the federal Mint

States and contractors addressed severe small-change shortages under the Articles of Confederation.

Shared devices and imitation British types make issuer and die attribution essential.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

State arms, busts, plows, suns, or eagles identify the authority and major family.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

Legends, seated figures, shields, and date placement separate closely related contract issues.

Attributed object catalog

Rows preserve the current classification; blank production is unknown, not zero.

1785 CT 1/2P Bust Right1785 CT 1/2P Bust Right, African Head1785 CT 1/2P Bust Left1786 CT 1/2P Small Head Right ETLIB INDE1786 CT 1/2P Large Head Right1786 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left1786 CT 1/2P MB Left, Hercules1786 CT 1/2P Draped Bust Left1787 CT 1/2P Small Head Right, ''ET LIB''1787 CT 1/2P Liberty Seated Right1787 CT 1/2P MB Right, 'INDE ET'1787 CT 1/2P MB Right, Muttonhead1787 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left1787 CT 1/2P MB Left, Laughing1787 CT 1/2P MB Left, Hercules1787/1877 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left1787/1788 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left1787 CT 1/2P MB Left, Horned1787 CT 1/2P MB Left, 'CONNECT'1787 CT 1/2P Draped Bust Left1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'AUCIORI'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'AUCTOPI'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'AUCTOBI'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'CONNFC'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'CONNLC'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'FNDE'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'ETLIR'1787 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'ETIIB'1787 CT 1/2P Georgivs III Obverse1788 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Right1788 CT 1/2P Georgivs III Obverse1788 CT 1/2P MB Right, Small Head1788 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left1788 CT 1/2P MB Left, 'CONNLC'1788 CT 1/2P Draped Bust Left1788 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'CONNLC'1788 CT 1/2P DB Left, 'INDL'1786 NY 1/2P Non Vi Virtute Vici, Large Head1786 NY 1/2P Non Vi Virtute Vici, Small Head1787 NY 1/2P Excelsior, Eagle Right1787 NY 1/2P Excelsior, Eagle Left1787 NY 1/2P Excelsior, Transposed Arrows1787 NY 1/2P George Clinton, Excelsior1787 NY 1/2P Excelsior, Indian/Arms1787 NY 1/2P Excelsior, Indian/Eagle1787 NY 1/2P Indian Obverse, George Reverse1786 NJ 1/2P Date Below1786 NJ 1/2P No Coulter1786 NJ 1/2P Narrow Shield, Straight Plow Beam1786 NJ 1/2P Narrow Shield, Curved Plow Beam1786 NJ 1/2P Wide Shield1786 NJ 1/2P Bridle1786 NJ 1/2P Narrow Shield1786 NJ 1/2P Protruding Tongue1786 NJ 1/2P PLUKIBUS Error1787 NJ 1/2P Outline1787 NJ 1/2P Small Plan, Plain Shield1787 NJ 1/2P Sm Plan, Plain Shld1787 NJ 1/2P Lg Plan, Plain Shld1787 NJ 1/2P Sprig Above Plow1787 NJ 1/2P 'PLURIBS'1787 NJ 1/2P Second U over S1787 NJ 1/2P PLURIRUS1787 NJ 1/2P Camel Head1787 NJ 1/2P 1787/18871787 NJ 1/2P Serpent Head1787 NJ 1/2P WM Above Plow1787 NJ 1/2P Deer Head1787 NJ 1/2P Pattern Shield1787 NJ 1/2P Hidden WM in Sprig1787 NJ 1/2P Goiter Variety1788 NJ 1/2P Head Right1788 NJ 1/2P Head Right, Brushed Mane1788 NJ 1/2P Running Fox Before Legend1788 NJ 1/2P Running Fox After Legend1788 NJ 1/2P Head Left1785 VT 1/2P Immune Columbia1785 VT 1/2P VERMONTS1785 VT 1/2P VERMONTIS1786 VT 1/2P VERMONTENSIUM1786 VT 1/2P Baby Head1786 VT 1/2P Bust Left1787 VT 1/2P Britannia1787 VT 1/2P Bust Left1787 VT 1/2P Bust Right1788 VT 1/2P Bust Right1788 VT 1/2P Backward C1788 VT 1/2P ET LIB INDE1788 VT 1/2P Georgivs III Rex

Attribution and authenticity

Use state, date, major device, legend, edge, and the appropriate Miller, Maris, Ryder, or other family system.

Issuer and production

Production methods, issuing authority, and intended use vary across this catalog; do not infer a federal mint process from the page layout.

Authenticity

Confirm weight, diameter, metal, edge, manufacture, and multiple repeatable diagnostics with a trusted specialist reference.

Grading

Separate circulation wear from weak strike, planchet flaws, corrosion, cleaning, tooling, repairs, mounts, and other post-production changes.

Rarity

A low catalog count or famous name does not by itself establish rarity; exact attribution, survival, condition, and demand all matter.

Provenance

Retain labels, envelopes, invoices, auction references, prior attributions, and collection history; provenance is evidence, not decoration.

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.

Sources and image provenance

  1. Brasher Doubloon, 1787 — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  2. National Numismatic Collection — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  3. Post-1776 States Coinage category reference — PCGS CoinFacts