1776 Continental Silver Dollar to make in excess of $305,500

The 1776 Continental Silver Dollar is a fascinating piece of US history.

The US Continental Silver Dollar is thought to have been intended to replace early American paper currency

A rare 1776 Continental Silver Dollar will feature in a sale at Heritage Auctions in New York on May 16-17 with a starting bid of $305,500.
The lot is one of only four surviving examples of the mysterious silver issue and is appearing at auction for the first time in over 100 years.
It is thought the coins were minted to take the place of the paper bills authorised by the Continental Congress in 1776, although no documents authorising their production have ever been found.
The plates are believed to have been created by Elisha Gallaudet, whose initials appear on the obverse of the coin.

In January 2012, another example sold for $546,250 at Heritage Auctions in Orlando, Florida.
A 1792 Silver Centre Cent, the third finest of the handful known, is another lot likely to prove a major draw for collectors.

The 1792 Silver Centre Cent is among the earliest known US pattern issues

The coin is among the first US pattern issues and was produced in a limited run shortly after the establishment of the fledgling US Mint.
It is graded MS63+ and features superb definition marred only by some minor contact marks. This is thought to be the first time this particular coin has ever appeared at auction.