Vermont copper

On June 15, 1785, the committee presented to the House of Representatives of the Freemen of Vermont their recommendation that Vermont grant Harmon "...the exclusive right of coining Copper within this State for the term of two years..." The approved language required the coins to have a minimum weight of one-third of an ounce troy weight (160 grains).

On June 17, 1785, Harmon posted a required bond and began establishing his mint situated beside Hagar's Brook in Rupert.

The design of the obverse, on the initial 1785 and 1786 coins, featured the Sun rising above the Green Mountains and a plow in the foreground encircled by the inscription VERMONTS.

An act, possibly written with Harmon, himself a former member of the House, extends the agreement eight years from July 1, 1787, and describes a dramatically different design.

The reverse of the coin depicts a seated woman, and the inscription INDE ET LIB an abbreviation of independence and liberty.

Twentieth century numismatists Kenneth Bressett, Tony Carlotto and Hillyer Ryder offer nearly identical explanations of the imagery and mottoes.

The plow may simply represent agriculture, a primary activity and industry of the young state, but might also allude to the story of Cincinnatus the ancient Roman citizen-farmer who left his plow in the field to serve Rome as consul, fight the encroachment of aristocracy, and later return to his field.

A similar seated female is found on the reverse of the coat of arms of Vermont, and is described variously as Agriculture, or Ceres.