Description
ABOUT THE DESIGN
Money Metals Exchange commissioned these beautiful 1 oz silver "Don't Tread On Me" Coins (or "rounds") not only to provide a tool for citizens to protect against the collapse of the dollar's purchasing power, but to help reinvigorate the very symbols of Liberty upon which this nation was founded. These symbols are not to be denigrated and demonized as the highest levels of our political class are now trying to do. Instead they must be renewed, revered, and passed on to new generations who want the Founding Father's principles reasserted in modern-day America.
"Don't Tread on Me" Rattlesnake (obverse)
In 1754, Benjamin Franklin first popularized the rattlesnake as a symbol of national unity during the French and Indian War. By 1774, it had become the formal symbol of the Freedom Revolution when Paul Revere added it to the masthead of his newspaper, The Massachusetts Spy, and showed the snake fighting a British imperial Dragon. In 1775, Continental Colonel Christopher Gadsden incorporated a coiled rattlesnake with thirteen rattles (symbolizing the colonies) above the motto "Don't Tread on Me" on an early American flag.
Historians believe Franklin anonymously published the following of several arguments why the rattlesnake should be chosen as the symbol for America (rather than the eagle, which he amusingly opined was "a bird of bad moral character"). "She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage... she never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her."
Boston Tea Party (reverse)
In 1773, hardliners in the British government imposed a symbolic but much-hated "stamp tax" on the restive American colonies. And while the Stamp Tax was small in comparison to today's massive load of taxes imposed from Washington, it quickly became the rallying point that animated and inspired the Sons of Liberty. On December 17, 1773, after 7,000 angry colonists milled around the Boston wharf where British merchant ships were to unload imported tea, a smaller group of 200 chose to act. The Sons of Liberty, some dressed as Indians, forced their way onto three British ships and unceremoniously tossed 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor.
This small act of clever defiance -- coupled with the rattlesnake -- became twin icons of Americans' yearning for Freedom in the face of distant, corrupt, and non-responsive government.
Benjamin Franklin's humorous but powerfully symbolic approach to tweaking officialdom is as infuriating to those who wish to control others now as it was then. The spectacle of modern-day defenders of Freedom proudly emulating and popularizing the Boston Tea Party and related symbols is deeply embarrassing to Washington, DC's ruling class.
Why Invest in Our Don't Tread on Me / Tea Party Silver Rounds?
The Don't Tread on me / Tea Party coins are a must have for any collector's portfolio. They are stylish, symbolic, and immersed in American history. The rounds tell a story, not just about how America came to be the great independent nation that it now is, but what sort of characteristics Americans have.
Silver rounds also provide an ideal investment opportunity for people hedging against inflation. In today's uncertain economy, the strength of the dollar cannot be easily identified, nor can its future. As such, many investors look to alternative sources of wealth, and silver is an ideal form due to its worth and value as a precious metal. With a purity of .999, the coin's re-sale value will remain as there is likely to be a constant demand for silver. Silver's use in jewelry and, as has been reported, medicine, makes it a metal which will always be in high demand.
Rounds make a good alternative to both gold and silver bars and coins, as they are unique in size and design, attractively rounding off a collection. Although they cannot be used as legal tender, their value remains and is dictated by the spot price of silver. Just look at a what a bar of silver is worth, or how much you will get when you sell silver coins back to the dealer and then you will understand the value of silver rounds.