1742 LIMA Doubloon Brasher, LIMA MS

First discovered in 1894, the Brasher Lima-style doubloon is the earliest private gold coin struck in the United States. A second example was found in 1914 by collector Waldo Newcomer and authenticated by the American Numismatic Society’s Committee on United States Coins. The Lima-style doubloons correspond in design and weight to the Spanish 8 escudos and would have circulated in New York City at a value of $15 in the 1780’s.

Obverse: E.B punched on a Jerusalem cross with lions and castles at the diagonals

Reverse: Pillars of Hercules and the inscriptions “L .8. V”, “P. .V. .A”, and “7 .4. .2”, with BRASHER below; all surrounded by beads within the inscription PHILIP . V.D.G H . REX . ANO . 1786 .