Nova Eborac Coppers of 1787 occupy a notable place in early American numismatics. They were not authorized by a state mint. At the time, New York commerce was expanding, and small-change coins were in constant demand. Struck to resemble familiar British halfpennies (and, in style, Connecticut coppers), these privately issued pieces filled a practical need during the post-Revolution transition.
Why the Nova Eborac Coppers Were Made
In early 1787, several individuals and groups petitioned the New York Assembly for permission to strike copper coins, but those requests were denied. Ephraim Brasher and John Bailey were among the petitioners turned away. They proceeded anyway, minting private copper coins that carried the legend “NOVA EBORAC”, the Latin form of New York.
Their decision parallels other unofficial operations of the period, including the coinage associated with Machin’s Mills. Like those issues, Nova Eborac Coppers were produced to function as everyday small change when official coinage was scarce. The choice to mimic the general look and feel of British halfpennies was likely strategic. British copper remained widely recognized in the marketplace, and a token that looked familiar could gain acceptance more readily than an entirely novel design. Scholars still debate whether the look-alike design aimed to deceive or simply to aid circulation. Either way, the coppers circulated with relatively little resistance.
Design Features and the Four Major Types
All four Nova Eborac designs share a consistent “type” format that makes the series cohesive. The obverse displays a mailed bust facing right, wearing a laurel wreath, with the simple surrounding legend “NOVA EBORAC”. The reverse depicts a seated Liberty holding an olive branch and a liberty pole topped with a cap, a composition clearly reminiscent of Britannia on British copper. The reverse motto reads “VIRT. ET LIB.” for “Virtue and Liberty”, and the date “1787” appears beneath Liberty in exergue.
Within that shared framework, collectors recognize four major designs. The first is the Large Head, reverse figure facing left variety. Its diagnostics are subtle, and distinguishing Large Head from Medium Head pieces is often difficult without close study. Survival is very uncertain; published estimates range from about 20 to roughly 25–30 known examples.
The most available type is the Medium Head, reverse figure facing left variety, with an estimated population of about 200 to 250 pieces. Its relative availability makes it the entry point for many collectors building a Nova Eborac set.
A closely related issue is the Medium Head, reverse figure facing right variety. The right-facing Liberty is the key diagnostic, and surviving totals are estimated at nearly 200 examples. In practice, this means it is collectible, but still far from common compared to later federal copper coinage.
Finally, the rarest major design is the Small Head, reverse figure facing left variety, which is distinctive enough to be recognized more easily. One readily cited diagnostic is the presence of a six-pointed star on the obverse. Only about ten pieces are known, making it one of the rarest New York coppers.
Because the series includes multiple head sizes, changing reverse orientations, and meaningful rarity differences, professional authentication is strongly advised, particularly for Large Head versus Medium Head attributions. As a group, the Nova Eborac Coppers demonstrate how privately produced coinage helped keep trade moving in the early republic, while leaving modern collectors with a compact, challenging, and historically resonant four-type pursuit.
