How to Find a Brasher Doubloon

The Brasher doubloon is one of the most famous private gold coins in American history, and one of the most valuable. Only nine examples are known to exist across all varieties. A search returning no results for this coin is the expected outcome, not a search problem.

GetCoinHunt helps you search inventory from multiple coin dealers in one place, and lets you save a wishlist alert for coins that, realistically, almost never appear in routine dealer inventory.

What makes the Brasher doubloon important to collectors?

In 1787, before the United States Mint existed, gold and silver coinage in America came from a patchwork of foreign coins, state-authorized issues, and privately struck pieces. Ephraim Brasher, a New York goldsmith and silversmith who lived near George Washington, struck a small run of gold coins roughly matching the value of a Spanish doubloon—about $15 at the time—stamped with his “EB” hallmark as a mark of quality and authenticity, much as he stamped other coins he assayed and counterstamped.

Only nine genuine Brasher doubloons are known today. Seven are the “New York-style” doubloons, featuring a sunrise-over-mountains design echoing the New York state seal; the other two are “Lima-style” pieces that imitate the look of Spanish colonial gold coinage. Among the seven New York-style examples, six carry Brasher’s “EB” punch on the eagle’s wing, and one—unique among all known Brasher doubloons—carries the punch on the eagle’s breast instead.

That single “EB on Breast” example has one of the most remarkable price histories of any American coin. Per numismatic auction records and trade-press coverage, it sold for $505 in 1882 and, by 2011, brought $7.395 million in a privately brokered sale through Blanchard and Company. It wasn’t even the record-holder for long. In January 2021, an “EB on Wing” example from the Donald G. Partrick Collection, graded NGC MS65★, sold at Heritage Auctions for $9.36 million—at the time, a world record for a gold coin sold at public auction, per Heritage Auctions’ own sale results.

How to identify a Brasher doubloon

With only nine known examples, all individually documented across more than two centuries of numismatic scholarship, identification means confirming a coin against its known history rather than screening an unfamiliar piece.

Confirm the style and punch location

New York-style doubloons show the sunrise-over-mountains design; Lima-style doubloons imitate Spanish colonial coinage instead. Among New York-style examples, the location of Brasher’s “EB” punch—wing versus the unique breast placement—is itself a documented, individually significant detail tied to a specific known coin.

Recognize that every genuine example is already accounted for

Given that all nine known Brasher doubloons have been studied, exhibited, and sold at major auctions over more than a century, a coin presented as a previously undiscovered tenth example would be one of the most significant numismatic discoveries in decades—not something to expect from routine inventory.

Be alert to reproductions

Because of the coin’s fame, reproductions and replicas are common in the marketplace, generally sold openly as souvenirs rather than fraud, but any coin claimed to be a genuine Brasher doubloon requires certification from a major grading service and a documented pedigree before being taken seriously.

Buying considerations

This is not a coin found through routine dealer search

With only nine known examples, each individually tracked through major collections and auction records stretching back to the 19th century, a genuine Brasher doubloon reaching the market is major numismatic news covered by the specialist press.

Certification and provenance are essential

At this value level, only consider a PCGS- or NGC-certified example, and verify both the certification and the coin’s documented ownership history directly with the grading service. Given the coin’s fame and the prevalence of replicas, confirm exactly what’s being offered before assuming it’s genuine.

Understand what a “no results” search means here

GetCoinHunt does not manufacture or guarantee inventory. For a coin this rare, an empty search result accurately reflects the market, not a problem with the search itself.

Suggested search terms and filters

Because a genuine Brasher doubloon is unlikely to appear in routine inventory, consider:

• “Brasher Doubloon” or “1787 Brasher Doubloon” (to catch any rare genuine listing)
• “Brasher doubloon replica” (if you’re looking for an affordable, clearly marked souvenir reproduction rather than the genuine rarity)

Save “1787 Brasher Doubloon” to your wishlist to be notified on the rare chance a genuine listing appears.

Availability and pricing notes

With only nine known examples, the Brasher doubloon essentially never reaches ordinary dealer inventory. Recorded sales include $7.395 million (2011, the unique EB-on-Breast example, per numismatic trade-press reporting) and $9.36 million (2021, an EB-on-Wing example, per Heritage Auctions’ sale results)—among the highest prices ever paid for an American coin.

GetCoinHunt does not guarantee that any listing represents a genuine example of a historic rarity. For a coin at this level, independent verification through a major grading service and established auction record is essential before treating any offer as credible.

How the GetCoinHunt wishlist alert works

1. Search for the coin. Enter “1787 Brasher Doubloon” to check current dealer inventory.
2. Expect no matches in nearly all cases. With only nine known examples, all already accounted for, this coin does not appear in routine dealer inventory.
3. Add it to your wishlist anyway. You’ll be notified if participating dealer inventory ever includes a matching listing.
4. Consider colonial and early American coinage more broadly. Searching for other pre-federal and early U.S. coins will connect you with a far more accessible corner of the same era.

Frequently asked questions

How many Brasher doubloons exist?

Nine: seven “New York-style” examples (six with the “EB” punch on the eagle’s wing, one unique example with the punch on the eagle’s breast) and two “Lima-style” examples.

Who made the Brasher doubloon and why?

Ephraim Brasher, a New York goldsmith and neighbor of George Washington, struck the coins in 1787 to circulate as full-value gold coinage at a time before the United States Mint existed, stamping them with his “EB” hallmark.

What has a Brasher doubloon sold for?

The unique EB-on-Breast example sold for $7.395 million in 2011. An EB-on-Wing example sold for a record $9.36 million in 2021.

How can I tell if a listed Brasher doubloon is genuine?

Every genuine example has a documented pedigree matching one of the nine known specimens. A coin without a traceable ownership history and independent certification should be treated with serious skepticism—and reproductions sold as souvenirs are common.

Should I expect to find this coin through a normal coin search?

No. With only nine known examples, treat any listing claiming to offer a genuine Brasher doubloon with serious skepticism and verify independently through a major grading service before considering it credible.

Are there more affordable ways to collect coins from this era?

Yes. Other colonial and early federal American coins from the 1780s and 1790s, while still historically significant and often valuable, are considerably more available than the Brasher doubloon, which stands as an extreme outlier even within that early, scarce era of American coinage.

Looking to buy or check current prices for this coin?Search it on CoinHunt →