Rare 1776 Coin Discovered In Toffee Tin Set For Auction

This Continental dollar is from the same year the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Damjan

• Published in News
• September 5, 2024

Finding rare and valuable coins can be exciting for collectors and history enthusiasts. The discovery was recently made in Gloucestershire, England, where a Continental dollar from 1776 was found at the bottom of an old toffee tin.

Wotton Auction Rooms, a local auction house, was sorting through items from a private seller when they came across the coin. This Continental dollar is a significant find because it was minted in the same year the Declaration of Independence was signed in America.

The coin is made of pewter and is about 38 mm in size. Only around 6,000 of these coins were ever made, and today, only about 100 are still known to exist.

The excitement around this discovery was considerable. Joseph Trinder, an auctioneer at Wotton Auction Rooms, described it as one of the top finds in his career. He noted that many auctioneers dream of finding a coin like this.

After finding the coin, the auction house wanted to ensure it was genuine. They sent it to the Numismatic Guaranty Company in Sarasota, Florida, for authentication. This company used tests, including X-rays and expert reviews, to confirm that the coin was real.

The authentication process revealed that the coin was a genuine Continental dollar from 1776. This is particularly special because it is rare to find such a coin outside of the United States. Trinder pointed out that no records of similar coins were found in the U.K. before, making this discovery unique.

Joseph Trinder, auctioneer and managing director of Wotton Auction Rooms, described the coin as an exceptionally rare discovery.

“We discovered it in a large toffee tin a private vendor brought to us, full of all manner of interesting sort of knick-knacks – other coins, little bits of jewelry, carved stone, and fossils. We had a jolly good look-through and made sure we got to the bottom of everything inside. There were some really interesting pieces like gold coins and some other valuable items, but, languishing at the bottom of this tin of treasures we found this amazing Continental Dollar coin.”

The Continental dollar was found among other items like jewelry, carved stones, and fossils. While some of these items were interesting and valuable, the Continental dollar stood out due to its historical significance. The coin will be auctioned on October 3rd at Wotton Auction Rooms, and it is expected to draw much interest from collectors.

The 1776 Continental dollar is set to be auctioned off in October.

A rare coin from 1776 was recently discovered at the bottom of a toffee tin.

This discovery underscores the excitement of finding rare historical artifacts. The Continental dollar’s journey from being buried in a tin in England to its authentication in the U.S. highlights its remarkable value and historical significance.

As it nears its sale, it provides a fascinating glimpse into a crucial period in American history, enriching the world of coin collecting. The dollar represents a unique piece of the past and offers collectors a rare opportunity to own a tangible link to a significant era.

Damjan