A "penny" date set, the first installment.

I promised to post this after I completed a date set of cents from 1793 to 2024. When I get my 2025 Proof set, I'll be up to date.

I won't post anything heavy unless someone really wants to get into the weeds. I'll go with you for a while, but I am not the ultimate expert on cents.

Here we go with 1793.

The Chain Cents

The first year of the first United States Mint’s official opening, it produced only half cents and cents. Bonding requirements prevented key mint personnel from handling gold and silver. The cents were marked by rapid changes in the designs because of public criticisms.

The first cents, which were released in March, were the Chain Cents. The mint had been unable to hire a professional designer and die maker. The job fell to, it is generally believed to Chief Coiner, Henry Voigt. His work was charming to modern collectors, but crude by European standards.

The public objected to the Chain design. Instead of reminding people of national unity, the links of chain on the reverse were interpreted as a symbol of slavery. Voigt replaced the chain links with a wreath.



This Chain Cent is known as “the periods variety” because of the periods which appear after “LIBERTY.” and the date, “1793.” It is moderately scarce. Sheldon variety #4.



It is believed that the Chain AMERI (pronounced AM-ER-EYE) was the first Chain Cent die. This coin is also moderately scarce but more popular because of its “first of the first” status. Sheldon variety #1. No I don't own this one although I wish I didn. He let me photograph it, but I was never able to meet his terms for a purchase.


Overall the mint issued 36,103 Chain Cents. There are 5 known die varieties. Four of them are collectable and one is not with only three examples known.

The Wreath Cents

The Wreath Cents were issued during the spring and summer of 1793. The image of Ms. Liberty on the obverse was strengthened and sunk into the die in higher relief. Critics continued to complain about the wind blown appearance of Ms. Liberty’s Hair which prompted another design change.



This Wreath Cent was among the last of the design to be struck. It has a lettered edge which reads, “ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR” with a single leaf following that phrase. The variety is Sheldon 11c. The quality of the copper used for these pieces was poor. this one was close to having a lamination on the obverse.

There are nine die pairs which were used to strike the Wreath Cents with three sub-varieties for the treatment of the edge on S-11. Two of the varieties are very rare. The mintage was 63,353.

The 1793 Liberty Cap Cents

Joseph Wright was hired as the Chief Engraver, probably in the late summer of 1793. He was a very talented artist, and his Liberty Cap design was far more pleasing than the Chain and Wreath Cents.

The Liberty Cap design was inspired by the obverse of the Libertas Americana medal which was one of Benjaman Franklin’s projected. The medal commemorated the French and American victory over the British in the American Revolutionary War.



Unfortunately, Philadelphia was hit was a pandemic of yellow fever in September. There was no cure for the dreaded disease. Joseph Wright and his wife were victims of the pandemic. It was a great loss to the mint.



The design of the Liberty Cap Cent satisfied the critics. Some collectors, especially those who collect early copper, view them as among the most beautiful United States coins. The piece above, which was sold by Heritage Auctions, is Sheldon variety #14. All known examples of this coin were struck with a cracked obverse die.

The 1793 Liberty Cap Cents have a beaded border. This head punch was used in 1794, but the 1794 cents had denticles (teeth) around the edge instead.

There is five varieties of the 1793 Liberty Cap Cent. All of them are scarce to rare. The mintage was 11,056 pieces.

For the one a year cent collector, the Wreath Cent is the most common type, but the prices are high. A recent offering from a well known Internet and show dealer was $2,895 for a piece graded Good-4 in an old ANACS holder. The obverse showed an outline of Ms. Liberty and the reverse lettering was only mostly complete.