Catalog
Copper Baby Head Bust Right
| Issuer | Vermont, Republic of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1786 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | AUCTORI. VERMON. |
| Reverse description | Seated figure of Britannia facing left, depicted in classical style holding a trident and resting upon a shield, closely modeled after contemporary British halfpenny reverse designs. The figure occupies the central field, with fragmentary landscape elements visible beneath. The surrounding Latin legend reads INDE ET LIB., an abbreviation for 'Independentia et Libertas' (Independence and Liberty), reflecting Vermont's assertion of sovereignty during the post-Revolutionary period. |
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| Additional information |
Vermont declared independence from both New York and New Hampshire in 1777 and spent fourteen years as a sovereign republic before joining the Union in 1791. The 1786 copper coinage was authorized by the Vermont General Assembly as the republic's first official currency — a direct economic necessity, since Spanish milled dollars and worn foreign copper dominated local exchange with no reliable small change in circulation.
KM#5 is distinguished from earlier Vermont coppers by the bust facing right, a deliberate departure from the leftward-facing issues of 1785. Several die varieties are documented for this year, attributed primarily to Reuben Harmon Jr. of Rupert, who held the minting franchise.