As many numismatists know, the Republic of Vermont has high stature in our hobby. This colony was not able to join the Union in the 1780s for several reasons, most important being the resistance of powerful New York, with which it had a border dispute. Finally, in 1791 Vermont became the 14th state.
A Republic of Vermont copper coin of 1785 struck in Pawlet, near Rupert. Such pieces are somewhat scarce and are highly sought by numismatists today. The Guide Book of United States Coins gives a nice overview of them.
In 1781 Vermont issued its own paper money, imprinted the State of Vermont, nearly all of which was later redeemed. Notes are exceedingly rare today, and an example coming up for auction sale always attracts attention. Shown here is 40-shilling note.
In the meantime, in 1785, Reuben Harmon, Jr., of Rupert, secured a franchise to make coins, from the Vermont government. He proceeded to have dies cut, and coins with a "landscape" design on the obverse (sun peeping over a forested ridge) and with an all-seeing eye and glory of rays on the reverse, were struck and circulated.
On the reverse was the inscription, STELLA QUARTA DECIMA, or "the fourteenth star," reflecting the aspiration to become the 14th state.
Now in Time magazine, January 31, we find the article, "The Secessionist Campaign for the Republic of Vermont," by Christopher Ketcham, which commenced:
"The President on Wednesday may have reassured Americans that the state of the Union is 'strong,' but, just the week before, a group of Vermont secessionists declared their intention to seek political power in a quest to get their state to quit the Union altogether. On Jan. 15, in the state capital of Montpelier, nine candidates for statewide office gathered in a tiny room at the Capitol Plaza Hotel, to announce they wanted a divorce from the United States of America. "For the first time in over 150 years, secession and political independence from the U.S. will be front and center in a statewide New England political campaign," said Thomas Naylor, 73, one of the leaders of the campaign.
"A former Duke University economics professor, Naylor heads up the Second Vermont Republic, which he describes as 'left-libertarian, anti-big government, anti-empire, antiwar, with small is beautiful as our guiding philosophy.; The group not only advocates the peaceful secession of Vermont but has minted its own silver 'token' - valued at $25 - and, as part of a publishing venture with another secessionist group, runs a monthly newspaper called Vermont Commons, with a circulation of 10,000.
"According to a 2007 poll, they have support from at least 13% of state voters. The campaign slogan, Naylor told me, is 'Imagine Free Vermont.'"
Hmm.…
Here we have, presumably, a new Vermont numismatic item to collect, or at least contemplate, a silver "token" valued at $25, whatever that means. Can it be spent in Vermont? Or is this the retail price as a souvenir.
Whatever the answer, the situation is interesting. Secessionist movements within the United States have been several in recent generations, including the idea that the rest of New York state divorce itself from Manhattan, and that California split apart into north and south sections.