Token US Pitt (Fakes are possible) 1766

In 1765, in order to pay for the French and Indian Wars, the British Parliament imposed a system of stamp tariffs on the American colonies. William Pitt, with strong backing in England, took up the colonists' cause and demanded a repeal of the Stamp Act. The work of Pitt and Benjamin Franklin led to its repeal in 1766.

Pitt tokens are commemoratives of sorts celebrating his success on behalf of the colonies. They are quite valuable.

Here is what the Red Book, the definitive guide for US coins, says about Pitt tokens:

worn: $250 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $1500
well preserved: $3000

These prices are for large sized tokens, about 28 mm in diameter. There is a small sized token about 23 mm in diameter and struck in brass which is quite rare. If you have a small one, multiply the values above by five.


Remember also that valuable coins like Pitt tokens are often counterfeited. See a typical replica in the image to the right.
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