How many 1-cent pieces have there been in U.S. history?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Dougmeister, May 27, 2015.

  1. Dougmeister

    Dougmeister Well-Known Member

    Is this list complete?

    Fugio cent (1787)
    Large cent (1793–1857)
    - Flowing Hair cent, chain reverse (1793)
    - Flowing Hair cent, wreath reverse (1793)
    - Liberty Cap cent (1793–1797)
    - Draped Bust cent (1796–1808)
    - Classic Head cent (1808–1814)
    - Coronet cent (1816–1857)
    - Matron Head cent (1816–1839)
    - Braided Hair cent (1839–1857)
    Flying Eagle cent (1856–1858)
    Indian Head cent (1859–1909)
    Lincoln cent (1909-present)
    - Wheat back (1909-1958)
    - Memorial back (1959-2008)
    - Lincoln Commemorative backs (4) (2009)
    - Shield back (2010-date)

    I did not include changes in composition (e.g., 1943 Lincoln steel cent), minor changes to design (e.g., Indian Head Cent), or varieties. I realize that there will be some disagreement on what constitutes a "minor design change".
     
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  3. miedbe7

    miedbe7 Wayward Collector

    Feuchtwanger Cent? Would you include this in your list?
     
  4. messydesk

    messydesk Well-Known Member

    Fugio cent is in a gray area, as it comes before the establishment of the mint and ratification of the Constitution that gives Congress the authority to coin money.
     
  5. benveniste

    benveniste Type Type

  6. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    There had been calls for the establishment of a mint before the Fugio (and I believe even legislation to establish one), and yes it came before the Constitution, but we did have a central government at the time under the Articles of Confederation and it did have the authority to coin money and to establish monetary standards. (It's just that under the Articles the states also had the authority to strike coins as well, but they were supposed to conform to the central government standards.)

    So you could include the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey coppers as well, but not the Vermont's. Vermont wasn't part of the United States. It was an independent Republic.
     
  7. kanga

    kanga 65 Year Collector

    Like all type sets, collectors gets to define what they consider "complete".
    In this case my definition would be different.
     
  8. Argenteus Fossil

    Argenteus Fossil Active Member

  9. Dougmeister

    Dougmeister Well-Known Member

    @kanga , what would your "one cent" set look like?
     
  10. kanga

    kanga 65 Year Collector

    My personal "One Cent" type set is composed of business strikes struck by the US Mint for the years ranging 1793 through 1958 (the end of the Wheaties).
    Here's my list (I'm only missing one representative for each group):
    1793 Chain Reverse
    1793 Wreath Reverse
    1793-96 Liberty Cap
    1796-1807 Draped Bust
    1808-1814 Classic Head
    1816-1835 Liberty Head/Matron Head
    1835-1839 Liberty Head/Matron Head Modified (Young Head)
    1839-1857 Liberty Head/Braided Hair
    1856-1858 Flying Eagle
    1859 Indian Head/CuNi Laurel Wreath
    1860-1864 Indian Head/CuNi Oak Wreath with Shield
    1864-1909 Indian Head/Bronze
    1909-1942/1944-1958 Lincoln Wheat Ears, Bronze
    1909 Lincoln Wheat Ears/VDB, Bronze
    1943 Lincoln Wheat Ears/Zinc Coated Steel
     
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  11. Ruben

    Ruben Member

    Of all the obv designs, notice the Lincoln is by far the longest running....100+ years. It illustrates the problem created by having political figures on our coins, once on, you can't get them off.
     
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  12. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    The Birch Cent was a pattern. Same thing for the silver center cent.
     
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