Ask coin nerds and old-time experts, about the Brasher Doubloon and they will tell you it’s the first gold coin struck in the U.S making it one of the world’s most sought-after coins. The excitement is understandable as finally one of the most important pieces in America’s numismatic history has popped up for sale again. numismatic adviser Jeff Sherid of Los Angeles-based PCAG Inc. is marketing the coin on behalf of a collector for a $15 million asking price. It is considered one of the greatest coins in history owing to its own history. The doubloon is dated 1787 and was created by Ephraim Brasher, a New York silversmith. Brasher struck a small batch of Doubloons, this being one of just seven that were produced. The Brasher Doubloon is the only one to have Brasher’s hallmark initials punched on the eagle’s breast; the others, including one in the Smithsonian, have “EB” stamped on the eagle’s wing. Imagine it wasn’t worth more than $15 back in the day but was the first gold coin in the denomination dollars, and it set forth how the monetary system would move forward.
The Brasher Doubloon is composed of 89 percent gold, 6 percent silver, 3 percent copper, and 2 percent of various elements. One side features a mountain range, while the reverse includes the eagle and other elements that make up the Great Seal of the United States. The importance of this 26.6 grams gold coin doesn’t stem from its composition but from its history. The Brasher Doubloon was earlier sold for $625,000 in 1981, $2.99 million in 2005, and an impressive $7.4 million in 2011. It is currently the possession of a Wall Street Executive who purchased it in 2015 for an undisclosed sum.
[Via Dialynews]
