Whitman Expo
Bar Copper VF35 BN
Greysheet & CPG® PRICE GUIDE
The Bar copper is undated and of uncertain origin. It has 13 parallel and unconnected bars on one side. On the other side is the large roman-letter USA monogram. The design is virtually identical to that used on a Continental Army uniform button. The significance of the design is clearly defined by its extreme simplicity. The separate 13 states (bars) unite into a single entity as symbolized by the interlocking letters (USA). This piece is believed to have first circulated in New York during November 1785, and may have been made in England. John Adams Bolen (1826–1907), a numismatist and a master diesinker in Springfield, Massachusetts, struck copies of the Bar copper around 1862. On these copies, the letter A passes under, instead of over, the S. Bolen's intent was not to deceive, and he advertised his copies plainly as reproductions. But his skills were such that W. Elliot Woodward, a leading auctioneer of tokens and medals in the 1860s, vacillated between selling Bolen's copies and describing them as "dangerous counterfeits." Bolen copies of the Bar copper are highly collectible in their own right, but they are less valuable than the originals.
Obverse: 13 parallel and unconnected bars.
Reverse: Large roman-letter USA monogram.
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All CDN prices are based on proprietary market knowledge and technology developed by CDN Publishing, LLC.
CPG® prices represent retail levels. Collectors should refer to CPG values as a starting place for their negotiations, or auction bid reference.
Greysheet/Greensheet prices are wholesale market levels for collectible coins/paper money intended to indicate what a dealer, or wholesale, buyer would pay for the described item in the specified grade. Greysheet/Greensheet represent "sight-seen" values based on a buyer's in-hand review. The actual value can be more or less than this depending on factors including eye appeal and market timing.
Bluesheet (NGC & PCGS) prices represent the highest sight-unseen offers to buy on dealer networks like CDN Exchange. In many cases, there are no active sight-unseen buy offers, so CDN looks to the recent lowest market values for such an item. For this reason, Bluesheet values typically represent the floor of the market for the specified item. CDN only tracks Bluesheet on certain items.
CAC prices are for U.S. coins that meet the standards of the Certified Acceptance Corporation. You can learn more about CAC on their web site.
Price movement is indicated for price changes in the last 30 days.
The prices listed in our database are intended to be used as an indication only. Users are strongly encouraged to seek multiple sources of pricing before making a final determination of value. CDN Publishing is not responsible for typographical or database-related errors. Your use of this site indicates full acceptance of these terms.
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