The Castorland jeton or demi écus "half dollar" of 1796: Introduction

The Castorland jeton or demi écus "half dollar" of 1796: Introduction The Castorland jeton or demi écus "half dollar" of 1796: Introduction In 1792, a group of French investors, with financial backing from some Swiss creditors, purchased a 630,000-acre tract of land in upstate New York near the present-day town of Carthage to create a colony for upper-class French families fleeing the travails of the French Revolution. The "Compagnie de New York" adopted a stamp depicting a beaver chewing on a tree and the name Castorland (castor being the French word for beaver). The first settlers arrived in America on September 7, 1793, and built two towns on the land. During the 28 June 1793 meeting of the company's trustees, who had remained in Paris, it was decided to place an order with the Paris Mint to strike "Jetons de presence" for the colony (with some examples in gold and others in silver and copper). The items were struck in 1796 from dies created by Benjamin Duvivier. The obverse shows a female head representing Cybele, the classical goddess of fertility and wild nature and protector of the people. She wears her traditional mural or wall crown representing her role as protector from harm. The legend reads "COLONIA FRANCOAMERICANA" (The Franco-American Colony) with Duvivier's initials DUV below. The name CASTORLAND and the date 1796 are in exergue. On the reverse, Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain and harvest, holds a cornucopia in her right hand and a drill for tapping maple trees in her left; behind her a maple is being pounded for syrup and at her feet are a sickle and a sheaf of wheat. The epigraph is taken from Virgil's Georgics, book 2, line 173: "SALVE MAGNA PARENS FRUGUM" (Hail great mother of the harvests); there is a beaver in exergue. This issue was struck as a medal, as it bears no denomination and both the obverse and reverse are oriented to 12:00 o'clock, as is usual for medals. According to Victor Morin, the Paris trustees were not entitled to any salary, but received "two tokens of presence" as compensation for attending board meetings in Paris. Numismatists also refer to these "jetons" as the Castorland Medal or the demi écus "Half Dollar". Thus, although this piece was related to the colony, it was struck in Paris for distribution in Paris. The Castorland colony suffered greatly during the harsh winters of 1794-5 and 1795-6, along with the human cost, most of their domestic animals died. Following these disasters, on the night of 28 June 1796, an indentured labourer stole the company's money ($600) and escaped in a canoe. Shortly afterwards, Swiss creditors in Bern appointed a new leader for the company. The colony continued to deteriorate until it was forced to dissolve in 1814 and all remaining assets were seized by the Swiss creditors.

Condition

Used (normal wear)