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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BostonCoins, post: 2651109, member: 34720&quot;]One could argue that the birth of American numismatics can be traced back to 1792, and the passing of the Coinage Act in April of that year. This set the foundation of what would eventually become the official US Mint. Granted, there were coins minted in America prior to this (1652 coins, along with state coinage), however all prior coins were minted prior to the official US Mint.</p><p><br /></p><p>1792 is rich with history we all learned in school, such as the laying of the corner stone for the White House, the start of the French Revolutionary Wars, the first use of the Guillotine in France, the US establishing the Military Draft and George Washington being re-elected president (December of 1792).</p><p><br /></p><p>With the passing of the Coin Act, it was time to decide who was going to run the Mint, and more importantly, what the coins were going to look like.</p><p><br /></p><p>As a coin collector my whole life, there has always been one coin that always held the most fascination for me. The famous “Half Disme”. With the lore that the silver used was donated by Martha Washington (history says she donated her flatware), these coins offer us a chance to hold the history of our country in our hands.</p><p><br /></p><p>Though the newly formed US Mint didn’t produce any coins until 1793, this doesn’t mean that coins weren’t made in 1792. In fact, there were a LOT of coins produced in 1792 as people were experimenting with different coin designs. As I searched the internet, I found it difficult to find a single source of information that taught me about the early coins of 1792. The Mint apparently kept horrible records on what was produced, never mind who actually designed the coins!</p><p><br /></p><p>Before I begin, please know that I use the term “coins” loosely. All coins of 1792 are considered Patterns. They were not produced with the intent of public distribution. The Half Disme that I learned growing up actually had the largest production run (of appx 1500 pieces struck), and were actually used as a political tool by George Washington himself! He handed these coins out to senators, congressmen and other such dignitaries. Though they weren’t meant for general public consumption, they did seem to eventually make it out into the public as seen by the wear on many surviving examples.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here’s some of the information I was able to find based on many different web pages.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Birch Cent – 1792 (Copper, Copper with Silver Slug, Copper with missing Silver Slug)</b></p><p><br /></p><p>The Birch cent is found in three varieties. The more famous variety is the coin with a silver slug inside of it. Why a silver slug? Well, in order to make a coin out of copper, and have the metal value equal the denomination, the coin would have had to be as large as a half dollar at the time. This was deemed as unacceptable, so the designer made it so that the silver slug would be worth ¾ of one cent, and the surrounding copper would be worth ¼ of one cent. Unfortunately, the labor required to make this coin too excessive, so this design was scrapped. Some speculate that the All Copper version is the basis on which the 1793 Large Cents would eventually be made.</p><p><br /></p><p>Below is what I was able to find out in regards to the Birch Cent.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><i><b>Coin&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Diameter&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Known specimens</b></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Birch Cent with Silver Slug&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 23mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 12</p><p><br /></p><p>Birch Cent – All copper&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 32.5mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 11</p><p><br /></p><p>Birch Cent – Missing Silver Slug&nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; 23mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1</p><p><br /></p><p>[GALLERY=media, 5447]1792 Birch Cent by BostonCoins posted Feb 13, 2017 at 3:43 PM[/GALLERY]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Half Disme - Silver</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This is the coin of legend. Apparently made from Silver donated by the Washington’s, the original run of coins (produced in July of 1792) was approximately 1500 – 2000 pieces. It was roughly $75.00 worth of coins at that time. The intent for these pieces was political and advertising. George Washington would give samples of these coins to senators, congressmen and other such dignitaries in order to show us as a sovereign nation moving forward, as well as declaring that we would be using the decimal system based on 10’s (rather than the Spanish system of 8’s). I was quite surprised on just how many specimens actually still exist. One final note about this coin, the whole “disme” term (originally pronounced deem) was based on a mathematician ‘s theory from the 1600’s that actually developed the decimal system of 10’s. That word ‘disme’ is supposed to be a French word. Perhaps it felt out of favor, but this word is no longer used in the French language at all. It’s hard to even find reference to that word in dictionaries dating to the period!</p><p><br /></p><p><i><b>Coin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Diameter&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Known specimens</b></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Half Disme&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 17.5mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 250</p><p><br /></p><p>[GALLERY=media, 5449]1792 Half Disme by BostonCoins posted Feb 13, 2017 at 3:43 PM[/GALLERY]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Disme – Silver and Copper</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin actually surprised me. I didn’t know that this coin even existed. I had only ever heard of the Half Disme. This coin was produced at the same time as the Half Disme, but with MUCH lower production numbers. I can’t really figure out why this coin never had the production that it’s smaller brother did (the Half Disme)</p><p><br /></p><p><i><b>Coin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Diameter&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Known specimens</b></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Disme – Copper&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 23mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 23</p><p><br /></p><p>Disme – Silver&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 23mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3</p><p><br /></p><p>[GALLERY=media, 5448]1792 Disme by BostonCoins posted Feb 13, 2017 at 3:43 PM[/GALLERY]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Twenty Five Cents – Copper and White Metal</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin has a strange history to it. No one really knows what denomination this coin is meant to be. There have been theories given about this coin for many years. Some feel it was meant to be a Cent coin, and meant to see public circulation based on the coin’s dimensions. The more recent theory (based on correspondence and other such evidence) defines the coin as a quarter. This coin was designed by the same man who would eventually design our Liberty Cap cents (Joseph Wright). Sadly, Mr. Wright would pass away in 1793, never fully seeing his designs come to surface.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><b>Coin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Diameter&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Known specimens</b></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Quarter – Copper&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 29mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2</p><p><br /></p><p>Quarter – White Metal&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; 29mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 4</p><p><br /></p><p>[GALLERY=media, 5451]1792 Quarter Dollar by BostonCoins posted Feb 13, 2017 at 3:43 PM[/GALLERY]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Half Dollar – Silver and Copper</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This final coin in my post is ironically actually the FIRST coin produced for the 1792 series. It is theorized that it was actually produced in late 1791. With the Coin Act already drafted, and more than likely going to pass, this coin was designed and produced by Peter Getz. When this coin was submitted to George Washington for approval, he hated it. Why? It had his portrait on the coin. Washington did NOT want presidents on the coin, instead, symbols of Liberty. Washington was so moved by this design that he actually had some of the Coin Act rewritten in order to prevent future coins from having a President on them. Seems strange to me now, where we’ve had presidents on our coins for well over 100 years now.</p><p><br /></p><p><i><b>Coin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Diameter&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Known specimens</b></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Half Dollar – Silver&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; 35mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5</p><p><br /></p><p>Half Dollar – Copper&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -&nbsp;&nbsp; 35mm&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 39</p><p><br /></p><p>[GALLERY=media, 5450]1792 Half Dollar by BostonCoins posted Feb 13, 2017 at 3:43 PM[/GALLERY][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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