Nova Constellatio Tribute – 2 oz Silver Round

An eye surrounded by stars and rays recalls an ambitious question from the nation’s earliest years: what should American money look like? This two troy ounce .999 fine silver round pays tribute to the 1783 Nova Constellatio 1,000-unit pattern, combining its distinctive imagery with a modern 39mm format and Brilliant Uncirculated finish.

A Monetary Experiment for a New Nation

Robert Morris became Superintendent of Finance in 1781 and began developing a national coinage system. Americans then used a confusing mixture of foreign coins struck to different standards. His proposal sought a common unit of silver and decimal accounting to make that mixture easier to reconcile.

On April 2, 1783, Morris recorded receiving an experimental silver coin. Later that month, a group of patterns was prepared for Congress; the coins subsequently went to Thomas Jefferson for examination. Alexander Hamilton also discussed the coinage project with Morris. These pieces belong to the formative debate over a national currency, before the federal Mint was established.

The proposed 1,000-unit silver denomination was called a Mark. The 1000 on this tribute preserves that historical design feature; it is not a face value for this modern bullion round. The original patterns were experimental proposals, which makes their survival an intriguing glimpse of a monetary system that might have been.

Obverse Design

A central eye is surrounded by radiating lines and stars, with NOVA CONSTELLATIO around the field. A small floral ornament separates the outer lettering, and a dentil border frames the composition.

Reverse Design

LIBERTAS JUSTITIA and the date 1783 surround a leafy wreath. Inside are U.S. and 1000, echoing the historic pattern. The modern silver hallmark sits below the wreath, distinguishing the tribute’s bullion content from the denomination shown in the artwork.

Specifications

• Weight: 2.00 troy ounce
• Thickness: ~6mm
• Purity: .999 fine
• Edge: Reeded
• Diameter: 39 mm
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated

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