Smart Buying Guide: How to Buy The Danish Asiatic Piastre (Greenland Dollar) 1771 Original and Restrike Without Getting Ripped Off

For collectors captivated by 18th-century trade coins, few prizes rival the thrill of securing a Danish Asiatic Piastre – that infamous “Greenland Dollar” whispering tales of colonial ambition. This 1771 marvel isn’t just another silver disc; it’s a tangible fragment of Denmark’s mercantile dreams, its numismatic value amplified by extreme scarcity and those three deceptive words stamped across history. Let’s explore how to hunt this legendary coin like a seasoned numismatist.

The Allure of the Danish Asiatic Piastre: More Than Silver, It’s Story

Crafted during three explosive chapters of European commerce, this coin mirrors the Spanish Pillar Dollar’s design but pulses with Nordic pride. Imagine holding a piece where:

• The 1771 originals (543 struck) whisper secrets from Copenhagen’s mint, only five known survivors haunting collections today
• The 1774 restrikes (44,900 pieces, fraudulently dated 1771) reveal how desperation fueled Denmark’s Asian trade ambitions
• The 1777 Norwegian strikes (50,001 pieces) complete this numismatic trilogy with thicker planchets and bolder strikes

Every detail sings of empire: twin pillars embracing globes, Christian VII’s crowned shield, and that defiant motto “GLORIA. EX. AMORE. PATRIAE.” (Glory Through Love of Country). The finest examples retain razor-sharp legends and watery luster that’ll quicken any collector’s pulse.

Why Collectors Chase This Phantom “Greenland Dollar”

• Rarity That Bites: With just three originals in private hands, even later restrikes in mint condition command six-figure sums. That “impossible scarcity” fuels our obsession.
• History You Can Hold: These coins financed tea and porcelain runs to Canton – feel the weight of colonial commerce in your palm.
• The Nickname That Wouldn’t Die: Scholars may rage, but “Greenland Dollar” stuck like toned patina. This accidental mystique doubles its collectibility.

Spotting Ghosts: Original Strikes vs. Restrikes

Before mortgaging your house for that auction lot, train your eye on these diagnostic killers:

The Holy Grail: 1771 Originals

• Obverse Die: Single lonely die used until exhaustion
• Smoking Gun: The G in GLORIA kisses the waterline – no tail dangling below pillars
• Feel: Hand-finished edges whisper “emergency minting”

Restrike Telltales (1774-Made “1771” Issues)

Two distinct obverse dies betray these later strikes:

Obverse I: The Nervous Counterfeiter

• The A in AMORE shuffles left of center like a guilty child
• Pillars starved thin; crown bloats like rotten fruit
• Letters etched with hesitant, spidery strokes

Obverse II: Bold and Careless

• The A in AMORE aligns perfectly above crown’s center – too perfect for originals
• Pillars thicken like sailor’s wrists; crown shrinks in shame
• Punches slam metal with brute force, flattening details

Where the Hunt Leads: Markets & Minefields

When these ghosts materialize (perhaps thrice a decade), stalk them here:

Auction House Theatre

• Heritage’s January NYINC Sale: Where Danish kings of numismatics duel at dawn
• Stack’s Bowers Hong Kong: Asian money meets European history in bidding wars
• Pro Tip: Study lot viewing schedules – early birds spot hairlines under gallery lights

Dealer Dens & Whispered Trades

• Künker’s “European Rarities” Catalog: Where provenance gets poetry treatments
• Baldwin’s Backroom: Espresso, Persian rugs, and coins that never hit websites
• Golden Rule: If they won’t share die axis measurements via email, walk away

Red Flags That Scream “Fool’s Gold”

Provenance Fairy Tales

• “Ex-Hauberg Collection” claims without auction tags? Demand UV spectrometer tests
• Zinc toning on a “freshly discovered” piece? More like garage-stored forgery

Grade Grifters

• PCGS MS-65 stickers on coins with tooled rims – crackouts reveal sins
• That “rainbow toning”? Might be PVC residue eating into silver

The Photography Illusionists

• Glare hiding scratches? Demand 360-degree video under daylight bulbs
• “Rare variety” claims without die marriage references? Send images to NGC’s attribution team

Negotiation Warfare: Collector vs. Shark

At this level, every handshake hides calculations:

Timing Your Kill

• Dealers bleed cash pre-Tampa shows – pounce in late January
• Avoid ANA Week frenzy; hunt during sleepy September lulls

The Expert Gambit

• Slide a $500 bill to a top丹麦 specialist for written condition report – recoup tenfold in discounts
• Whisper “I know about the planchet flaw in Trench restrikes” – watch prices soften

Raw Nerve vs. Plastic Security

This choice defines your collecting soul:

Slabbed Certainty (For Mortals)

• NGC/PCGS holders = sleeping pills for paranoid collectors
• But…can you really judge eye appeal through plastic cataracts?

Raw & Risky (For Connoisseurs)

• Feel the strike’s brutality under a loupe – no plastic numbness
• Breathe same air as 1771 mint workers…or modern counterfeiters

Why This Coin Owns Us

The Greenland Dollar delusion endures because we’re not chasing silver – we’re clutching history’s torn page. That “mistaken” nickname? Pure numismatic magic. When you finally lock one in your vault, you’re not just a collector. You’re keeper of a lie so beautiful, even the Danes forgave it. Now go hunt – but pack your paranoia alongside your loupe.

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