Brasher Gold Doubloon: One of the Most Valuable Coins in the World

If you’ve been around coin collecting for a while, you may have heard of the legendary “EB” counter stamp that Ephraim Brasher marked on coins that he issued back in the late 1780s. For those who aren’t familiar with Brasher, he was practically a celebrity in colonial America.

Brasher was a patriot of the American Revolution, a successful businessman, and a neighbor of George Washington. A well-respected jeweler and coiner, Brasher was known for his integrity and excellent workmanship, and his “EB” counter stamp was widely accepted as a guarantee of quality and value.

Today, numismatists can only dream about owning one of his most famous and rarest creations of all—the 1787 Brasher doubloon.

Some private gold coin experts believe that the gold doubloons minted by Brasher in 1787 were the country’s first private gold coins; however, there is no detailed evidence to support this claim. Nonetheless, these coins have earned an important status in American numismatic history.

After the Revolutionary War ended, the colonies needed coinage. In 1787, Brasher applied to the New York Assembly for a contract to produce coppers for the state. While waiting for an answer, Brasher took the initiative to issue his now legendary gold doubloons.

Doubloon is Spanish for “double” and is the name of the Two Escudo gold coin that was minted in Spain and the Americas with gold found in the New World.

Brasher’s gold doubloon featured the Great Seal of the United States, an eagle clutching an olive branch and arrows. Encircling the eagle is the national motto:  ‘UNUM E PLURIBUS’ (One from many). The date 1787 is at the bottom. Brasher counter stamped his name on the reverse as his guarantee of quality.

On the coin’s reverse, Brasher displayed the New York coat of arms: a sun spreading rays of light over a mountain with a river in the front. Surrounding the image is the inscription, ‘NOVA EBORACA COLUMBIA EXCELSIOR’ (New York, America, Ever Higher). Brasher included his last name underneath the image.

While Brasher typically stamped his initials on the eagle’s wing, there was one notable exception. He created one coin with his initials stamped on the chest of the eagle, possibly the last coin made.  In 2011, Blanchard sold this iconic “breast punch” Brasher Doubloon for almost $7.4 million, at the time the highest amount paid for a U.S. coin.

Ephraim Brasher’s contributions to American numismatics extend beyond the creation of the Brasher Doubloon. His work set a precedent for the quality and integrity of American coinage, influencing subsequent generations of coin makers. Brasher’s emphasis on precision, artistry, and trustworthiness became the standard for U.S. currency.

The Brasher Doubloon also symbolizes the innovative spirit of early American entrepreneurs. In a time of economic uncertainty, Brasher’s initiative to create a gold coin exemplified the entrepreneurial drive and resourcefulness that would come to define the American ethos.

They are ultra-rare and wildly expensive. Only seven survivors of this astounding coin are known today. In 2021, a Brasher gold doubloon sold for $9.36 million.

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