However, unbeknownst to numismatic researchers, a contemporary account of Brasher's Doubloon's existed, overlooked in the papers of then Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton. Written during the summer of 1791, a pair of letters sheds some light upon the nature of these mysterious coins.

... the events that followed make it obvious that Brasher and his coins made quite an impression on Hamilton, for within a matter of months, Hamilton stopped using the services of assayer Jose Ruiz de Silva, and hired Brasher to conduct assays on behalf of the first United States Mint at Philadelphia. As such, Brasher's assays and the knowledge that he gleaned from making his doubloons have had an impact on every gold coin struck in the United States between 1795 and 1933.

For nearly a century, the Greens could rightly claim they made more money than any other family in America. Their notes funded several colonial conflicts and the American Revolution. In Vermont, their press remain, while in Maryland, thousands of pieces of type survive, all excavated from te backyard pit of the Jonas Green house, now a bed-and-breakfast in Annapolis.

Outspoken, patriotic, talented and adventurous, the men and women of the Green family left a long legacy in ink and paper to be collected by students of history today.

Last summer, a dealer friend called me and asked if I had seen a few neat items that were being offered in the June 5, 2008 Bowers & Merena Baltimore Auction sale. I had not, and quickly went online to view the three lots he referenced.

Lot 42 especially interested me, and armed the dealer as my agent to bid in on this piece. After all, the Dollars of 1798 are a specialty of mine.

Lot # 42 A Sewing Needle Cushion Wheel Constructed Using a 1798 Large Eagle Draped Bust Silver Dollar. VF. One of the most interesting items of its kind that this cataloger has ever handled, this needle cushion wheel has a blank base with a 1798 Large Eagle Dollar serving as the top.

The coin itself grades EF Details, and several pins are still stuck into the cushion. Additionally, the handle that once attached this cushion wheel to (probably) a sewing machine stand is still present and fully functional. All metal components are originally and attractively toned in steel-gray patina, and there really are no significant problems. The amount of detail remaining to the Dollar suggests that this fascinating piece was constructed no later than the early 19th century.

Over the years several numismatists have researched this countermark. But no one has been able to attribute it to a specific issuer, with absolute positive proof, until now. Due to a recent discovery, the origin of the countermarked coins that bear the phrase 'VOTE THE LAND FREE' can now be positively attributed to the national reform Association (NRA). This political association was organized in New York during the early month of 1844.