Concord 250 Commemorative Coin - Pewter

Concord, New Hampshire, formerly known as “Pennacook,” originated from land settled hundreds of years ago by Abenaki Native Americans along the fertile banks of the Merrimack River. The area offered good soil for farming, and the river became a fishing hub and a transportation route for birch bark canoes travelling from Lake Winnipesaukee to the Atlantic Ocean. In 1725, the Province of Massachusetts Bay claimed territories west of the Merrimack River and granted the Concord area as the Plantation of Penacook, settled by Captain Ebenezer Eastman and others from Haverhill, MA. In 1734, the town was incorporated as Rumford, and after a bitter dispute between Count Rumford and the town of Bow, the city was renamed Concord in 1765 by Governor Benning Wentworth. The town grew in prominence throughout the 18th century and became the state capital in 1808. In addition to being the official seat of state government, Concord also became known for granite quarrying, furniture making and its famous carriage, the Concord Coach.

The face of this commemorative coin shows the Concord 250 logo created in honor of the city’s sestercentennial. A group of dedicated volunteers from all backgrounds came together to form the Concord 250 Celebration Committee and created a year-long celebration of our beloved city’s past, present and its bright future.

The reverse side depicts the illustrious Concord Coach. In 1828, Lewis Downing, a young wheelright from Lexington, MA, built his first coach for Benjamin Kimball. In 1828, Downing joined J. Stephens Abbot to form Abbot-Downing Coaches. The company’s most famous model, the Concord Coach, was fashioned after the coronation coach of King George III and soon became known around the world. Seventeen hundred Concord Coaches were built between the late 1820s until 1877. Of those, one hundred fifty-seven survive today, with eighteen remaining in New Hampshire.

The Concord Historical Society and the Concord 250 Committee proudly present this commemorative coin in honor of the sestercentennial celebration of Concord, New Hampshire.

The first 501 medals/coins are numbered. The first 50 and a number 250 are gold plated. Coins 1 through 10 and a number 250 will be auctioned off (details to follow). All medals/coins will be sold first- come, first-served. Medals/coins numbered 51 through 500 are pewter.

(Price does not include shipping and handling)