1796 Silver Castorland Jeton, original strike
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1796
This original 1796 silver jeton, also referred to as a demi ecu, was created in association with the French settlement founded in upstate New York in 1793. The medal is an authentic period piece, distinct from the many later restrikes of the last two centuries.
Measuring 15.16 grams, the jeton exhibits a light silver-gray appearance with notable semi-reflectivity in the fields and iridescent reddish-gold toning around the peripheries. The obverse design features a profile portrait of a woman wearing a mural crown, with the legend 'FRANCO-AMERICANA COLONIA' and the inscription 'CASTORLAND' followed by the date '1796' at the bottom. A signature 'DUV' is visible near the base of the neck.
The reverse features a beaver, from which the name 'Castorland' is derived—'castor' being the French word for beaver.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Edge
- reeded
- Weight
- 15.16 grams
- Material
- silver
Technical characteristics
- Catalog reference
- Lecompte-195, W-9100
Design
- Obverse
- Portrait of a woman wearing a mural crown, legend FRANCO-AMERICANA COLONIA, CASTORLAND 1796
- Reverse
- Beaver
- Inscription
- DUV
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Duvivier
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.