American 1 cent, 1802, countermarked for use in Saint Barthélemy.
Saint Barthélemy in the West Indies was a Swedish colony acquired by King Gustav III in 1784. It was not until 1878 that the island was sold back to France by King Oscar II. Trade had flourished during Saint Barthelemy’s time as a Swedish colony, including the slave trade. The Spanish silver peso was the most important trade coin.
The dollar was modelled on the Spanish piaster (peso) when the United States introduced it as its main currency in 1792. The dollar was divided into 100 cents.
What we see here is a 1 cent coin from 1802 bearing the inscription LIBERTY (freedom). The engraver was Robert Scot.
