Object Details
mint
U.S. Mint, Philadelphia
designer
Scot, Robert
Description
Once a new national government had been established under a new Constitution, attention naturally turned to ways of proclaiming national identity. A new, national coinage was one way of doing so, especially if it featured patriotic new images, rather than the endless sequence of crowned monarchs and coats of arms adorning the coinage of Old Europe.
The Coinage Act, which established a national mint, was passed in 1792, and work was quickly underway. Designs were chosen-- a depiction of Liberty for obverses, an eagle, or the value within a wreath, for reverses. The first of the new coins, copper cents and half cents, appeared early the following year. By 1794, mint designers were working to create a silver dollar, the flagship of the new denominations. But they first made a trial piece, in copper.
Robert Scot created the dies for this design, a Liberty head with flowing hair for the dollar's obverse; an eagle within a simple wreath for the reverse. The new dies to be used in producing silver dollars were tested with a striking in copper. Copper would take a good impression, and would allow Scot and his associates to see whether the dies were cut deeply enough and would therefore be capable of producing the detail wanted on the final silver product.
Only one piece, this coin, was struck in copper, and it is a unique national treasure.
Credit Line
Norman & Harvey G. Stack
date made
1794
ID Number
1987.0910.01
accession number
1987.0910
catalog number
1987.0910.0001
Object Name
coin
Physical Description
copper (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 38 mm; 1 1/2 in
place made
United States
city
United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Related Publication
Zoomable Image and Details
Sewer, Andy; Allison, David; Liebhold, Peter; Davis, Nancy; Franz, Kathleen G.. American Enterprise: A History of Business in America
Feingold, Ellen R.. Value of Money, The
Glossary of Coins and Currency Terms
Related Web Publication
http://americanhistory.si.edu/coins/glossary.cfm
See more items in
Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
Coins
Numismatics
Coins, Currency and Medals
Legendary Coins
Exhibition
Value of Money
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_835239