Did George Washington really throw a silver dollar across the Potomac River? - Collectors Society Message Boards Did George Washington really throw a silver dollar across the Potomac River? I have nothing to add or subtract, I am merely here. TOTAL NEWBIE Loc: Fibonacci φ spiral Did George Washington really throw a silver dollar across the Potomac River? First, a bit of history about our first President, this wonï¿½t take long, so take the time to read these interesting facts. George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Va. on February 22, 1732 into a Virginia planters family. Growing up here, he learned the morals, manners, and body of knowledge requisite for an 18th century Virginia gentleman. In 1748, Lord Thomas Fairfax hired George at 16 years of age to survey his lands lying west of the Blue Ridge of Shenandoah. Commissioned a lieutenant colonel in 1754, George fought in the first skirmishes of what grew into the French and Indian War. The next year, as an aide to Gen. Edward Braddock, Lt.George Washington saw action and escaped injury.

During subsequent battles, four bullets had ripped through his coat and two of his horses were shot from underneath him. From about 1759 to the outbreak of the American Revolution, Washington managed his inherited lands in and around Mount Vernon and also served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1775, Washington, who was one of the Virginia delegates, was quickly elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. On July 3, 1775, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, he took command of his ill-trained troops and set out on a war that was to last for six grueling years. After many bitter battles and with the aid of French allies, George forced the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. Washington soon realized that this Nation under its Articles of Confederation was not functioning as planned, so he became a prime mover in the steps leading to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. When the new Constitution was ratified, the Electoral College unanimously elected Washington as it's first President.

George served as that President from April 30, 1789, until the end of his second term on March 4, 1797 By 1793 and much to Washingtonï¿½s disappointment, two parties were developing at the very close of his first term. Wearied of politics and feeling a bit old, George retired at the end of his second term in 1797. Washington enjoyed less than three years of retirement at Mount Vernon, dieing at age 67 from a throat infection on December 14, 1799. Washington did have a final set of instructions: ï¿½I am just going; Have me decently buried; and do not let my body be put into the vault in less than three days after I am deadï¿½. At the dying Presidents bedside, long term friend and secretary Tobias Lear stood speechless. ï¿½Do you understand?ï¿½ Washington demanded. Lear responded he would do as Washington asked. Then Washington, seemingly content, said. ï¿½Tis wellï¿½. Those were the great manï¿½s last words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Posts: 14001 Loc: Charleston! Not to mention the fact that a dollar was a very large sum in those days, and although Washington was wealthy I doubt he would have just thrown a dollar away like that. If you take the slate and "skip" it across the river, I'm sure it is very possible (and ultra-cool in the eyes of youngsters). Or, with the right aerodynamics, throw the slate frisbee-style, and it can go a long ways, no superhuman strength required. _________________________ All posts are the opinions of the author. I reserve the right to change my mind with new facts, experience, opinions, or viewpoints. If you have a dream about out-posting me, you better wake up and apologize. Registered: 12/04/06 Loc: Northern Virginia Woody, Another interesting post. I do not believe that George was given or had a middle name. As far as throwing the coin across the river, I am a Texas transplant (proud of it) here to Virginia and live in Stafford. Not knowing this area, I was amazed to find out how far across the Potomoc River is and he most certainly did not that successful toss.

Your reference to the Rhappahonock in Fredericksburg is much more likely. Rey _________________________ Want List: Knowledge and Understanding. 1916 D Winged Liberty Dime, 1913 V-2 Buffalo, 1913 S V-2 Buffalo, 1918 D 8/7 Buffalo and the 1937 D 3 Legged Buffalo I have nothing to add or subtract, I am merely here. TOTAL NEWBIE Posts: 24262 Loc: Fibonacci φ spiral Additional discovery information while doing a bit of reserach on George Washington's middle name. Seems I was on the right track with the 8 Reales! Mason Locke Weems who is an American printer and author, is best known as the source of some of the apocryphal stories about George Washington. foot note to article: The story of throwing a Spanish dollar (or a stone that size) 270 ft (90 m) across the Rappahannock River near the Washington plantation at Ferry Farm does not seem to occur in Weems' biography, but is instead attributed to Washington's step-grandson George Washington Parke Custis.

The alleged feat was recapitulated in 1936 by the renowned professional baseball pitcher Walter Johnson.[1] "The Big Train", was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball between 1907 and 1927 Played for Washington Nationals (later Washington Senators, which is the now Minnesota Twins). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Washington's World - Frequently Asked Questions Washington's World: Frequently Asked Questions Did George Washington have wooden teeth? No. By the time he was President he had several sets of false teeth. One set had some of his own teeth and ivory of walrus and hippopotamus. The General used to crack nuts with his teeth as well as between his thumb and forefinger! Did George Washington really throw a silver dollar across the Potomac? No. His step-grandson and namesake, George Washington Parke Custis, related watching his grandfather throw pieces of slate or small flat stones about the size of a silver dollar across the Rappahanock River near their home in Fredericksburg. The Rappahanock is wide, about 250', but these tosses are possible for someone with Washington's legendary strength. This story was subsequently told by succeeding generations as Washington throwing silver dollars.

However, there were no silver dollars during Washington's time. Did George Washington chop down the cherry tree? Sorry, but no again. This is one of the many myths promulgated by Mason Locke Weems, a great admirer of GW who wrote a book shortly after our hero's death, entitled 'The Life of Washington.' McGuffey's Reader was a popular textbook that was in virtually every school in America and it included many of Mr. Weems' stories about America's hero, encouraging the children to emulate the many virtues of George Washington. What was George Washington's middle name? He didn't have one. Middle names were usually only given as a means of carrying on a family name from which you were entitled to an inheritance. George Washington's stepgrandson, for example, had Parke Custis as his middle name because he would be entitled to a large portion of his deceased father's estate when he came of age, which was usually at age 18 years. How tall was George Washington? No one actually knows how tall he was but he was at least 6 feet 2 1/2 inches and may have been as tall as 6 feet 4 1/2 inches. Did George Washington have children of his own?

No. It is believed that he was sterile as a result of contracting smallpox when he was 20 years of age. He raised Mrs. Washington's 2 surviving children from her previous marriage. After the death of her first husband in 1757 she married then Colonel Washington, the hero of the French and Indian War, on January 6, (twelfth night) 1759. He and Mrs. Washington also raised two of their grandchildren after their father (Mrs. Washington's son) died of an illness he succumbed to during the battle of Yorktown in 1781. Did George Washington have a favorite horse? Yes. He was a superb horseman and actually bred white as well as gray horses; his favorite was Nelson, who served him so well throughout the 8 1/2 years of the war that the General retired him to pasture in 1783, never to be ridden again. Did George Washington own slaves? Yes. George Washington was born into a slave holding family and society that thought slavery was a necessity for their way of life.

During his lifetime he came to believe that slavery was wrong and in his Last Will and Testament, all 123 of his slaves were to be freed upon the death of his wife. He also took steps to teach them trades previously forbidden for slaves so that they could support themselves and set up a special fund in a bank in Alexandria to assist those former slaves who could no longer earn a living. Mrs. Washington freed them one year after his death. How old was he when he died and what did he die of? He died after a two-day illness on December 14, 1799 and was 67 years and 10 months old. The diagnosis was quinsy (an inflammation of tissue around the tonsils) which today is believed to be epiglottitis. Did he have a favorite sport or hobby? Absolutely! He loved virtually any outdoor activity and was very athletic. Fox hunting was his favorite sport, but he was also very involved in fishing (he later developed the largest inland fishing fleet in America on the Potomac River), horseback riding and throwing objects long distances (tossing the bar) just to name a few. What was his political party called? He regarded party politics as disruptive and divisive.

Thus, he is the only President who never was a member of a political party, though he sided more with the Federalists by his second term. George Washington: Wooden Teeth, Cherry Tree, Silver Dollar Toss All Myths George Washington: Wooden Teeth, Cherry Tree, Silver Dollar Toss All Myths By Jim Meyers | Monday, 25 Aug 2014 03:35 PM Close A A Young students for years have heard that George Washington tossed a silver dollar across the Potomac River, wore wooden dentures, and readily confessed to chopping down a cherry tree by stating "I cannot tell a lie." But all those assertions about America's Revolutionary War leader and first president are, in fact, myths. Washington was afflicted with dental troubles through his adult life, but he never wore wooden dentures. Vote Now: Was George Washington the Greatest American President? He began losing teeth at age 22 and had only one tooth left by the time he became president. John Adams claimed he lost the teeth because he used them to crack Brazil nuts, but modern historians believe that mercury oxide, which he was given to treat illnesses including smallpox, could have contributed to the loss.

When he became president, Washington wore false teeth carved from hippopotamus and elephant ivory, held together with gold springs. Prior to this, he had a set made from real human teeth. Some of his dentures had been stained and took on a wooden appearance, but he never wore wooden fittings, according to the website of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, which manages Washington's estate in Virginia. The story about Washington chopping down his father's favorite cherry tree was first reported by biographer Parson Weems, who after Washington's death interviewed people who knew him over a half-century earlier. As Weems tells it, 6-year-old Washington, overly enthusiastic about using his new hatchet, cut down the cherry tree and was confronted by his father. Young George, "looking at his father with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth," according to Weems, admitted that he did the deed, telling his father: "I cannot tell a lie." Urgent: Who Is the Greatest American President in History? The story was widely reprinted throughout the 19th century. But after 1890, historians noted that there was no documentation for Weems' tale.

And in 1904, a historian noted that Weems plagiarized other Washington tales from published fiction set in England, and no backup for the cherry tree story was ever found. The story of Washington throwing a silver dollar across the Potomac River is also a myth. The Potomac is over a mile wide at Mount Vernon and Washington could not have thrown it that far. Besides, there were no silver dollars when Washington was a young man. His step-grandson reported that Washington once threw a piece of slate across the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, which is much narrower than the Potomac, and that may be the origin of the tale. Another popular myth about the "Father of Our Country" is that he wore a wig, as was the fashion among many in his time. Washington had red hair as a young man, and later he powdered his hair, but he did not wear a wig. George Washington Legends Legends and Truths about George Washington Myth: George Washington chopped down a cherry tree Truth: The story of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree and then telling the truth about it probably did not happen.

The story was written after Washington died by a man named Mason Weems in a book about the life of Washington. It is very possible however that George Washington was an honest young boy and, if this story really happened, it would have been when he lived at Ferry Farm. There were cherry trees at the Farm then. Read the story by Parson Weems . Myth: George Washington threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River Truth: This is just another legend that has changed several times over the years but it may have some truth. When George was a boy, there were no silver dollars as we know them today. Even if there had been, George probably would not have owned one and he certainly would not have thrown one away! The same man who wrote the cherry tree story wrote about George throwing a rock across the Rappahannock River (not the Potomac, which is too wide). According to the legend, George and his friends threw rocks across the river while waiting for the ferry. In George's time, the Rappahannock River was about 300 feet wide, but George was a strong boy and probably could have done it. Other strong people have thrown a rock across the river at Ferry Farm in modern times.

Myth: George Washington had two children Truth: George Washington had no children of his own. George married a wealthy widow, Martha Dandridge Custis in 1759. She had two children from her first marriage - a boy, John (nicknamed Jacky); and a girl Martha (nicknamed Patsy). George Washington never formally adopted these children, but he loved them and raised them as his own. So, if anyone ever says they are a direct descendant of George Washington, they are mistaken! Myth: George Washington had wooden false teeth Truth: George did have several pairs of false teeth during his lifetime, but none were made of wood. If you ever visit Mount Vernon, you can see a set of his false teeth on display in the Education Center (off-site link). Myth: George Washington wore a wig Truth: George was not known to wear a wig even though they were popular at the time. He often tied his own hair in a queue (pony tail). He also frequently powdered his hair which was fashionable then. Many wig curlers have been found in the archaeological digs at Ferry Farm. Look on this page for a picture of wig curlers . These probably belonged to his mother or sister who did wear wigs.

Myth: George Washington was born at Ferry Farm Truth: George was born in 1732 at a plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia, that had been in the Washington family since 1657. It is now called the George Washington Birthplace National Monument (off-site link). When George was 3 years old, his family moved to another family plantation named Little Hunting Creek, now known as Mt. Vernon (off-site link). purchased what is today called Ferry Farm in 1738 and moved the family there that same year. When Augustine died in 1743, George, just 11 years old, inherited the property. His mother, Mary ,managed the property for him and lived there until 1772, when she moved to a small house in Fredericksburg to be closer to her daughter Betty. George sold the farm to Hugh Mercer in 1774. Myth: George Washington had only 1 sister Truth: George had two sisters. His first sister, Betty , was born just one year after George. In 1739, his second sister, Mildred, was born at Ferry Farm.

Sadly, she died at the age of just 18 months. George also had a half-sister, Jane (by his father's first wife) but she died in 1735, when George was only 3 years old. Learn more about the Washington family genealogy . There are many other common myths about life in Colonial America. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has an excellent article that describes some of these . (off-site link) George Washington MYTHS! Cherry Tree, Silver Dollar Throw, Valley Forge Prayer "The American Apostle of Providence!" MYTHS! Cherry Tree, Silver Dollar, Valley Forge Prayer! Continually Updated ... So PLEASE Come Back! George Washington also created 1,057 (and searching) Names and Titles for God, With all of them Scripturally Exacting and Theologically Correct! A Literary Feat Equal to the Works of Shakespeare! AMAZING! George Washington Myths Cherry Tree, Silver Dollar Throw, Valley Forge Prayer The Silver Dollar Throwing Story: George Washington's Pastor and Biographer, Parson Mason Weems, gets blamed by almost every modern historian for telling, popularizing, perpetuating - and even "INVENTING" - this story. FACT!

Parson Weems does not say anything about throwing a Silver Dollar across the Potomac River. FACT! There are two errors to this "oft-told story" - supposedly by careful scholars: > > [1] It was the Rappahoak River (much smaller), not the Potomac River, that Washington threw "ROCKS" across (Washington was MUCH TOO FRUGAL to throw even one silver dollar anywhere except his pocket!) > > [2] It was his grandson, not Parson Weems, who publicized this event. [2] The Cherry Tree Story Again, this is blamed by all modern historians on Parson Mason Weems to be a complete fabrication, a story that Weems simply "MADE UP" to delight children and parents! Following is the modern skeptical view: "It is generally believed today that the entire story was a fabrication by Weems. But before deciding whether the story is true or not more should be told of Mr. Weems. Mason Locke Weems, besides being a pastor, was a seller of books.

[NEWT NOTE: Parson Mason Weems became a "traveling evangelist" or a "circuit riding preacher" - who also SOLD BIBLES and GOOD BOOKS as he traveled to benefit the many folks in small villages who NEVER got to a book store in a large city . . . . . . to supplement his meager income. Parson Weems became a "traveling preacher" seller of Bibles, AFTER being defrocked by the Church of England, by whom he had been ordained by the British Parliament, after having attended Oxford/Cambridge Universities, taking both medical studies as well as theology.

FACT: Parson Weems was defrocked by the Anglican Church of England BECAUSE - being one of the local Pastors of George Washington and a personal friend to him and his family over decades; FACT: Parson Weems supported General Washington in the American cause, thus NOT keeping his "Ordination Vow to be loyal to King George" as the King of England - whom ever he may be decade by decade - was the HEAD of the Church of England (when Scripture says CHRIST is the HEAD of His Church!; - The King appointing the Archbishop of Canterbury as "symbolic leader" of Church of England, almost functioning like a "weak pope" UNDER England's King; FACT: Almost every Anglican/Church of England pastor in the USA was recalled to England when the Revolution began - EXCEPT for Bishop White in Philadelphia who founded the Episcopalian Denomination to replace the Church of England and he urged all Anglicans in American to become Episcopalians. Many did so. FACT: The other Anglican/Church of England Minster who spurned them and supported the American Cause, was Parson Mason Weems, who literally joined Washington in service to the new nation.

FACT: Thus what modern scholars claim is a discredit to Parson Weems, is actually a great honor, shared by NONE OTHER to the degree of Parson Weems, a credit to God, the USA and George Washington. However the Slanderers ('Diablos' - Greek word translated "devil") and False Accusers of the Brethren (another title of the Wicked One by Scripture) . . . continue to accuse Parson Weems as follows: END NEWT NOTE]; He (Weems) often boasted that The Bible was his best seller. [How do they fault a man who gets the WORD of GOD to people in the back woods?]; His second best selling book, as he toured the countryside peddling his printed wares, was a volume he himself had authored. It was the first biography of George Washington ever written, and was entitled: "Life of George Washington; with Curious Anecdotes, Equally Honorable to Himself, and Exemplary to His Young Countrymen" This small volume, published in 1800, told of the chopping of the cherry tree. This incident is today considered an elaborate fabrication. [NEWT NOTE: This claim is made upon WHAT EVIDENCE?

Is it NOT A PURE FABRICATION of ACCUSATION? Is it NOT the unfounded OPINION of those who want to discredit WEEMS and WASHINGTON? Is it not by the CHRIST HATERS who simply cannot stand the the Father of the USA was an EXTREMELY DEDICATED CHRISTIAN on the level of those we read of in Scripture? The accusers - while claiming to be "Professional Historians from Harvard, Oxford, Yale and Cambridge, have NOT A SHRED OF EVIDENCE by which to disclaim this valorous story of th good heart of George Washington! CHALLENGE: We at NewtonStein Academy - a Scientific Think-Tank - have $100,000 waiting for scientifically proved evidence that this story is NOT TRUE! FACT! NO ONE in Washington's family disputed this event, or claimed they had "never heard it before"! FACT! George Washington died young, not even making it to age 70, so he was outlived by aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, etc., and NO ONE claimed that ANY STORY in Weem's magnificent book was "fabricated" that they had NEVER heard such a story before!

[END NEWT NOTE]: But in spite of whether the tale is true or false, in the first century and a half after it was first published it went through eighty-two known editions, including translations into French and German. [NEWT NOTE: The last edition appeared in 1927, when the SCOFFERS succeeded in shaming those who admired George Washington, to print it no longer, as it made children and other politicians aspire to be as Christ-Like as George Washington who "COULD NOT TELL A LIE!" God forbid our current politicians be committed to NOT TELLING LIES!] Accusers continue: Why Weems Wrote the Washington/Cheery Tree Story It is speculated that the first reason that Mason Locke Weems wrote a biography on George Washington was that he was a shrewd businessman who possessed an uncanny sense of what the public wanted whether they knew it or not. In short, Weems wrote it for the money.[NEWT: What a damnable lie!!! Yeah, sure, Weems had such a "shrewed businessman" that he lived out of doors and owned nothing but a horse, unable to keep even a small farm he had inherited from his father!

Bill Gates is a "shrewd businessman!" Warren Buffet is a "shrewd businesman!" Steve Jobs of Apple was a "shrewd businessman!' Parson Weems, a homeless man, was NOT a "shrewd businessman!" To those who "accept these false accusations" why can't they see the true evidence? Weems was a poor, penniless, preacher of the Gospel? The False Accusers, the HATERS of Christ and Christians like Washington continue]: What the public in 1800 needed was something new to talk and think about, no matter if it was true or not. The public was between major wars. [NEWT: Do the historians "believe" the people of 1800 in the glory, growing goodwill days of the USA knew a major war was coming in 60 years . . . and WORRIED about it . . . and sought reading material full of lies about a past president that would make them FEEL BETTER? And these pseudo-historians have degrees from Harvard and Yale?] The Revolutionary War was behind them.

It would be late in 1806 before Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark would trek across the country to the Pacific and return. And the War of 1812 was even further away. The public, in 1800, was badly in need of a hero. Weems gave them a hero in the form of a little boy who made a mistake but was brave and honest when confronted. Then that child grew up and became president of the United States of America. In any era, that would be a hard act to follow. So, again, did Washington chop down the cherry tree? The answer probably lies some where between: Is there a Santa Claus and Does the Easter Bunny live on Easter Island?" [NEWT-NOTE: FACT: When the Cherry Tree story was first told by an elderly aunt (how many "stories" do your elderly aunts know about you, that you did when age 5,6, or 7 years old???) . . . . . . she told it that George Washington had "cut down" his father's "prized cherry tree". However, a younger family did dispute this, and informed Weems (to correct later editions, which he did) . . .

that George Washington did NOT cut the tree down, . . . but simply "hacked on it" with his new hatched his dad gave him as a gift, and the scarring injury to the tree caused the Cherry tree wither and die. FACT! Anyone who raised Cherry Trees can tell you they are NOT hardy like an Oak, Walnut, Hickory or even an Apple Tree, the Cherry being easily damaged, more like peach trees. FACT! Thus from this "correction" in the story, we see it being verified, and a story the family cared about to the degree of getting this little story EXACTLY CORRECT in every detail. HOW can simple truth be IGNORED . . . and WHY is simple truth DESPISED?]; Read more at Suite101: Washington’s Cherry Tree: Legend or Fact? #ixzz0trx9Em5p For more on the truth of this story, see The Valley Forge Prayer Story FACT: George Washington wrote a Christmas Prayer at a very young age (age 12-13); "Assist me, Muse divine, to sing the morn, On which the Savior of mankind was born.' [SOURCE: See Sparks's Washington, p.

519]; FACT: George Washington was a praying man his whole life, so say his spouse, his step children, his grandchildren, his servants, his hired helpers, those he served with in Congress, those he served with in the Military, so say Ministers who baptized him, who served him Communion, so say hos former pastors, and even visitors to Mount Vernon! FACT: Washington WROTE A LONG PRAYER after the War was won, and mailed a copy of it to each of the Governors of the 13 Colonies. (Web search to read) FACT: He further wrote a prayer when he was inaugurated into office as president, the prayer still hanging on a wall plaque at St. Paul's Chapel in New York City, very near Ground Zero, where the World Trade Towers were destroyed. QUESTION: So why is it so hard to believe Washington prayed for guidance during the War, especially during the bitter winter of dwindling troops at Valley Forge? 1-a-TEMPLATE-GEORGE-WASHINGTON--THREE-LARGE-PICTURE-HEADER.html (BB1) 300 More Webpages Being updated and added regularly. PLEASE COME BACK SOON! Welcome to the "Ministers-Best-Friend!" .....

home of Cambridge Theological Seminary ..... the "World's Largest Conservative Bible Seminary!" .....of "Bible Churches United for Christ! ..... in a season of GLOBAL increase ..... WE PROVIDED THE PAPERWORK TO START 778 NEW CHURCHES "PER MONTH" IN 2011 (World-Wide)..... averaging 421 a month in USA ..... 62 a month in CHINA ..... 46 & 32 respectively, in RUSSIA & INDIA ..... the "CAMBRIDGE CONFEDERATION now with 16,518 Ordained Ministers ..... 14,687 Local Churches ..... and 6,709,878 Members ..... 'ADDED' since AD-2,000, now in 192 "KNOWN NATIONS" (and Territories) ..... and 17 "UNKNOWN NATIONS" of Islamic origin ..... "WHY the increase in this time of Global Economic Depression?" ..... ONLY GOD KNOWS .... but we believe His Blessing is because ..... we are striving our best to BLESS HIS MINISTERS ..... His "Called-Servants" ..... in every way we can! DEAR FRIEND .....

PLEASE take a FEW SECONDS ..... NOTE our "15 PROGRAMS BELOW ..... in which we may be able to ENHANCE YOUR MINISTRY CREDENTIALS ..... you may DESIRE to use them later ..... THANK YOU ..... MAY GOD BLESS YOU .....PLEASE PRAY for US ..... PLEASE TELL OTHERS ..... PRAY-FOR-US ...... and COME BACK OFTEN! "HOW TO" George Washington: The Man & Myth · George Washington's Mount Vernon Biography of George Washington Key Facts Martha Washington French & Indian War The Revolutionary War Forming a New Nation The First President Slavery Separate fact from fiction and learn more about the real George Washington. Did the man whose portrait is on the one dollar bill ever tell a lie? Were his teeth really made of wood? Did George Washington actually throw a silver dollar across the Potomac River? And where’s that cherry tree that he reportedly cut down as a youth? Few figures in American history are surrounded by more well-intended mythology than George Washington. Throughout much of his adult life, many sought to perfect the image of the Father of our Nation, and after his death, others sought to deify the man.

Spanish coin from 1788 Spanish coin from 1788 A A 1788 Spanish silver 8-real coin struck in Mexico is rather common, but has a lot of history behind it. The value of a well-circulated piece usually depends upon its remaining silver content. Images courtesy of HeritageAuctions.com. Could you please identify this 8-real piece and let me know its value? Thank you for your time and effort. Robert Matwijcow Salem, N.Y. The piece in question has the appearance of a silver 8-real coin, struck at the Mexico City Mint under the authority of the Spanish crown in 1788. The piece depicts Carolus III (or Charles III) of Spain on its obverse and the Spanish royal coat of arms on its reverse. A small “o” placed atop a capital “M” on the reverse is its Mint mark and signifies a coin struck at the Mexico City Mint. Ultimately, this piece would need to be examined by an expert in order to truly determine its authenticity.

From the pictures sent (which could not be reproduced here) it does appear to match up well with authentic coins, but these coins are frequently counterfeited, particularly in China, so caution is needed when buying or selling. If indeed genuine, the coin is somewhat common. The Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, gives the 1788 8-real coin values of $25 in Very Good, $45 in Fine, $75 in Very Fine and $150 in Extremely Fine. Mr. Matwijcow’s item is heavily circulated, and would likely be graded as Very Good at best. More likely, if offered for sale, the coin’s silver content would be the prime determinant of its value. A freshly struck 8-real coin has an actual silver weight of 0.7797 ounce. As this coin has been well circulated, it has probably lost some of its silver weight. If sold to a coin dealer, he or she would probably place an offer based on its silver weight. While this piece is not an especially valuable coin, it is a historical coin. Spanish silver coinage provided the backbone of the American economy for many decades.

In fact, Spanish coinage was accepted as legal tender here until the practice was outlawed by Congress in 1857. Those interested in pirate lore should know the Spanish 8-real coin is the coin being referred to when swashbucklers demanded “pieces of eight.” Some may also recall being told the tale that a young George Washington once threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River. However, it is much more feasible that America’s future president, in the unlikely event that he did throw a coin across a river, actually tossed it over the much narrower Rappahannock River. And as there were no U.S. silver dollars when the event supposedly took place, the most likely candidate would have been a Spanish 8-real coin. Coin World’s Readers Ask department does not accept coins or other items for examination without prior permission from staff member Erik Martin. Readers Ask also does not examine error or variety coins. Materials sent to Readers Ask without prior permission will be returned unexamined. Please address all Readers Ask inquiries to emartin@coinworld.com or call (800) 673-8311, Ext. 274.

advertisement The Man, the Myth, the Legend | GW Today | The George Washington University The Man, the Myth, the Legend The Man, the Myth, the Legend As the university celebrates George Washington’s birthday, GW Today gets the scoop on the founding father from Professor Kenneth Bowling. February 22, 2010 By Julia Parmley Legend has it that George Washington wore wooden teeth, chopped down a cherry tree and threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River. While these are nothing but tall tales, much is known about the nation’s first president. George Washington was a successful businessman, respected commander and a brilliant politician. “There would not be a United States of America if there were not a George Washington,” says Adjunct Professor of History Kenneth Bowling. GW Today sat down with Professor Bowling, co-editor of the documentary history of the First Federal Congress, 1789-1791, and creator of the GW course “George Washington and His World,” to learn more about the university’s namesake and the creation of Washington, D.C. Q: What was the District like when George Washington was president? A: Peter Charles L’Enfant and Washington designed the city in March 1791.

It was a 6,000-acre track that extended along the Potomac River, north along Rock Creek, toward present-day Florida Avenue, over to the Anacostia River, and back to the Potomac. The mudflats of the Potomac extended all the way to what are now the grounds of the White House. Georgetown, to the west of what is now the university’s campus, was at the time the largest tobacco exporter in the state of Maryland. The area had long been seen as a great place for development. There’s a story that the District, then known as the Federal City, was a swamp. This is nonsense. At the time, people used the term “swamp” to mean uncultivated land. But there was salt water, brackish and cattail marshes along the Potomac River and low lands to the north of GW’s current campus, just beyond K Street. The name Washington, D.C., was given to the city in September 1791. The city’s commissioners named the city after Washington within the first year of its existence. George Washington himself never referred to it by that name. Q: What was George Washington’s vision for the city?

A: George Washington envisioned a capital. He believed the Federal City would be, in 100 years, comparable to London. This would be a city that would have cultural institutions and be a commercial city, which was why it was located on tide water. It would be grand; it would be beautiful; it would be far more than just a seat of government. Q: In his will, George Washington left stock for the creation of a national university in the District. Why did he want one? A: George Washington proposed to the Federal City commissioners that a national university be created near what is now the Kennedy Center. He supported the idea because of his strong commitment to education. He understood you could not maintain a republican form of government unless your citizenry is educated. Also, he believed that a university would bring the male youth of the various sections of the country together. This would build a stronger union. Without question, Washington’s failure to convince Congress to create a national university was one of his greatest disappointments as a leader. Q: Who was George Washington the person? A: George Washington not only ran a plantation but was a prominent businessman.

He had one of the largest liquor distilleries in the nation, a state-of-the-art grist mill (where grain is ground into flour) and a fishing industry on the Potomac River that managed to export hundreds of thousands of fish every year. He had a temper. He was able to control it for the most part, but there were times he lost control of himself; for example, in New York City in 1789 during the first session of the federal Congress. When he heard the Senate refused to confirm one of his nominees for office, he burst into the chamber and demanded to know why. George Washington was the only founder during the American Revolution to free his slaves, and he did it in his will as a very public declaration to the American people. His anti-slavery position was slow in coming. General [Gilbert du Motier] Lafyette and Alexander Hamilton were militantly anti-slavery and they spent a lot of time talking to Washington about it. Washington believed that states should pass legislation dealing with the issue, but they didn’t do so, so he took it upon himself as an iconic leader to make a public declaration of freeing his slaves. Q: Who was George Washington the politician?

A: John Adams said Washington had “the gift of silence.” This allowed George Washington to become, in my opinion, the most successful politician of the American Revolution. He had his hand on public opinion in a society where letters and newspapers took days to travel to their destinations. He was a centralist, someone who believed in a strong central, federal government. He also believed religion was a private matter. I believe that Washington, even more than Jefferson, was responsible for separation of church and state. As a president, Washington could have established informal connections between church and state, but he decided not to. I think that is his second most important contribution to American constitutional history, after civilian control of military. At the end of the Revolutionary War, Washington went back to his Mount Vernon Estate. He didn’t attempt a military takeover of the government. It was virtually unheard of that somebody who had achieved what he had did not insist on becoming the leader of the country. But Washington went back to Mount Vernon, where he sat and waited for the American people to call him forth. Of course, he wanted to be president of the United States. But if the revolution had not been successful, nobody would know George Washington. Q: Where should we turn to learn more about George Washington?

A: “The Invention of George Washington” by Paul Longmore and “George Washington: Man and Monument” by Marcus Cunliffe, a former professor of American studies at GW. Also, “Martha Washington” by Patricia Brady. George and Martha Washington had a wonderful marriage, according to people who saw them together. Comments? Criticism? The conversation continues. We welcome reactions, commentary and story recommendations on our Facebook page . To return to the George Washington Today homepage, click here . That's impossible - George Washington supposedly threw a dollar across the Potomac Search Blogs That's impossible - George Washington supposedly threw a dollar across the Potomac Forum User Name Context of the Organization and Risk Based Thinking The December 2016 holidays are in full swing until New Years has come and gone. This being a business forum, activity in the forum will be slow during the holidays. Normal forum activity will start to pick up again by the second week of January 2017 when people come back from their holiday vacations. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you who celebrate the various December Solstice Holidays! 2017 is almost here!

That's impossible - George Washington supposedly threw a dollar across the Potomac Elsmar XML RSS Feed Total Posts: 846 That's impossible - George Washington supposedly threw a dollar across the Potomac While showing tourists Washignton, D.C., a guide pointed out where George Washington supposedly threw a dollar across the Potomac River. "That's impossible," said a man. "No one could throw a coin that far." "You have to remember," answered the guide."A dollar went a lot father in those days." amanbhai Total Posts: 245 Just imagine how far he would have had to throw it if it was a Canadian dollar. cncmarine Quote: In Reply to Parent Post by cncmarine Just imagine how far he would have had to throw it if it was a Canadian dollar. I think Canada was on the barter system in them days. tarheels4 - 2007 Total Posts: 2,590 Actually, I don't think he threw it. President Washington (although he was not President at the time) was reported to be a very frugal (read CHEAP) man. My Inside-The-Beltway source says Washington found a way to stretch the dollar accross.

db In Reply to Parent Post by db reported to be a very frugal (read CHEAP) man. That explains the wooden teeth. tarheels4 - 2007 In Reply to Parent Post by tarheels4 That explains the wooden teeth. Well, what do you think he was cutting down that cherry tree for? db Total Posts: 2,048 A long time ago there was a boy who took a lot of grief from his classmates because his family was the only one in the county to still have outdoor plumbing (read outhouse). He really hated that old outhouse, so much so that one day while he was waiting on the school bus he ran over and pushed it over into the creek. He went on to school. That evening his father was waiting for him when he got home. "Did you push the outhouse into the creek"? he asked. The son replied "I cannot tell a lie, father. I did it." The father said "go out and fetch a switch for your whipping, boy", to which the son responded, "but father, George Washington told the truth and his father didn't punish him".

"Yeah, but George's dad wasn't in the cherry tree, either" said the father. Have a great weekend. Did George Washington Have Wooden Teeth? | Wonderopolis Wonder of the Day #142 Did George Washington Have Wooden Teeth? Did George Washington really have wooden teeth? Did George Washington throw a silver dollar across the Potomac River? Did George Washington live in the White House? Tags: Listen Presidents' Day may really be called Washington's Birthday, but it will never actually fall on February 22, which is George Washington's birthday. Let's celebrate the “Father of Our Country" by taking a look at some of the legends and myths surrounding this fantastic Founding Father. If you remember our recent Wonder of the Day about cherries ( Are All Cherries Red? ), you know that George Washington did not really chop down a cherry tree as a young boy. That story was made up by an author trying to demonstrate Washington's honesty. How ironic ! Another popular legend is that George Washington had wooden teeth. He did live a long, long time ago, so maybe that story is true. What do you think? If you guessed that Washington really did have wooden teeth, you guessed wrong!

Contrary to legend , he never had wooden teeth. Although he did have false teeth (called " dentures "), none were made of wood. Historians believe Washington had lost all but one of his teeth by the time he became president. The dentures he wore when he was inaugurated were made from carved hippopotamus ivory and gold by Dr. John Greenwood, who became known as the "Father of Modern Dentistry." Researchers have performed laser scans on another set of Washington's dentures located at the National Museum of Dentistry. Those dentures were made from gold and ivory , as well as real teeth from humans and animals, such as horses and donkeys. Another popular legend holds that Washington once threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River. Although Washington was quite athletic , he could not have thrown a silver dollar across the Potomac, which is more than a mile wide. Also, there were no silver dollars when Washington was young. One of his distant relatives, however, once reported that Washington threw a piece of rock “about the size and shape of a dollar" across the Rappahannock River, near Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he grew up.

We don't know for sure if this is true, but historians believe it could be. At the site of the Washington family homestead , the Rappahannock River is only 250 feet across, making for an impressive but not impossible throwing distance. In light of the half-truths about Washington we've uncovered, let's take a look at some things we know to be true. George Washington was: Take the Wonder Word Challenge Wonder What's Next? Join us tomorrow in Wonderopolis as we whittle away the time and carve out a picture of another famous George Washington! Try It Out As you learned in today's Wonder of the Day, you can't always believe myths and legends about famous historical figures. It can be hard to get at the truth, especially about people who lived hundreds of years ago. Historians spend countless hours researching old texts to discover the truth about their subjects. It's often easier to learn the truth about people who are alive today. Sometimes all it takes are a few good interview questions. Today, pretend you're a journalist trying to learn interesting facts about someone in your family. What do you think your friends and other family members would want to know?

Grab a pen and a notebook and sit down for an interview with your chosen subject. Make sure you cover the basics (when and where he or she was born, where he or she went to school, etc.), but bravely explore more interesting topics. What are his or her hopes and dreams? Does he or she regret doing or not doing something in particular? Have fun with your interview! You never know what you'll learn. If you can, turn your interview into a short article that you can share with friends and family or your teacher at school. Email or send us a copy, too. We'd love to learn more about your family! Wonderopolis HQ 325 West Main Street, Suite 300 Louisville, KY 40202-4237

Question: Who supposedly threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River?
Answer: George Washington