1787 New Jersey (1787 New Jersey Copper) Outlined Shield, NGC VF25BN. This colonial 1787 New Jersey Copper shows sufficient detail to warrant the grade. We see all of the obverse details, especially the horses mane and all of the stripes of the shield. The coin is a uniform dark chocolate-brown with slight tinges of light brown. The surfaces are acceptable for the grade although they show slight porosity at the top of the obverse and the lower part of the reverse.

The coin shows a horses head above a plow. There is a pronounced outline to the shield, and the beam is curved. The obverse inscription is NOVA CAESAREA or New Jersey with the date below. The reverse shows a Union shield above two crossed sprigs with the motto E PLUIRBUS UNUM separated by six-pointed stars. Dentils are around the peripheries of both sides.

The State of New Jersey established coinage in 1786 by allowing Walter Mould, Thomas Goadsby and Albion Cox, later the first Assayer at the United States Mint, to mint copper coins. The coins had to be 126 grains minimum weight. These men continued to produce this coinage together and then separately until 1788. When the Constitution was adopted in 1789, New Jersey stopped making coins.

In its population report, NGC shows 20 1787 New Jersey coppers, Outlined Shield variety, in VF with 17 better.