United States 1859 cent - Revision history

LatinKing2020 at 16:32, 21 February 2024

2024-02-21T16:32:16Z

LatinKing2020: added links

2024-02-21T16:30:20Z

added links

LatinKing2020: Text replacement - "Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), ''A Guide Book of United States Coins, 59th Ed.,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2005" to "Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), ''A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed.,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011"

2021-04-03T18:52:56Z

Text replacement - "Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), ''A Guide Book of United States Coins, 59th Ed.,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2005" to "Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), ''A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed.,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011"

LatinKing2020: Text replacement - "Longrace" to "Longacre"

2021-03-06T18:23:33Z

Text replacement - "Longrace" to "Longacre"

LatinKing2020 at 18:14, 6 March 2021

2021-03-06T18:14:26Z

LatinKing2020: added link

2021-03-06T18:13:29Z

added link

LatinKing2020: added link

2021-02-24T19:33:25Z

added link

LatinKing2020 at 19:27, 24 February 2021

2021-02-24T19:27:32Z

LatinKing2020: /* Gallery */

2021-02-24T19:26:43Z

Gallery

LatinKing2020: deleted images

2021-02-24T19:26:28Z

deleted images

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 Part of the success of the Flying Eagle and the new Indian Head cent was the direct result of the Mint program to exchange old large cents for new cents as well as exchanging Spanish and Mexican fractional dollars for new cents. The intent was that the Mint would recoin these metals.
-The copper-nickel alloy had now been in use for several years but it was tough on Mint equipment. The alloy was very hard and caused rapid die wear. The result was weekly struck coins. In 1863 the Mint observed that citizens readily used private tokens made of a softer bronze alloy (95% copper and 5% tin and zinc). And in fact, some earlier pattern cents had been stuck in the alloy. The Act of April 22, 1864 called for a new alloy and soon production of cents used the new alloy. This change happened sometime during the year resulting in two different alloys being used.
+The copper-nickel alloy had now been in use for several years but it was tough on Mint equipment. The alloy was very hard and caused rapid die wear. The result was weakly struck coins. In 1863 the Mint observed that citizens readily used private tokens made of a softer bronze alloy (95% copper and 5% tin and zinc). And in fact, some earlier pattern cents had been stuck in the alloy. The Act of April 22, 1864 called for a new alloy and soon production of cents used the new alloy. This change happened sometime during the year resulting in two different alloys being used.
-In 1866 production of Indian head Cents dropped of dramatically as coins in circulation met demand. For several years production was less than 10 million pieces. A Few years were slightly over 10 million with the low being 1877 when only 852,000 were produced. 1877 is now the scarcest of all Indian Head cents. A few years later demand picked back up and in 1879, production went above 10 million and stayed well above that number until near the end. In 1907, the mint produced over 100 million cents. It was the first time that any coin had been produced in such large numbers. Coin operated machines were making their appearance and cents were in huge demand. Until 1908, only Philadelphia made cents. Beginning in 1908, San Francisco made cents for the first time and in 1909, San Francisco produced the lowest mintage ever (309,000) for the Indian Head cent. Despite the fact that the Denver Mint had been around for a few years, Denver never made any one cent coins until 1911, the third year into the Lincoln Era. Over the course of its run, the Indian Head cent saw many changes. And with these changes, changes in government, etc, saw the desire for a change to the cent. In 1909, the Indian Head cent gave way to the most minted coin in the world, the [[PCGS 2419 - Lincoln Cent, Wheat Reverse (1909-1958), RD|Lincoln Cent]].
+In 1866 production of Indian head Cents dropped off dramatically as coins in circulation met demand. For several years production was less than 10 million pieces. A Few years were slightly over 10 million with the low being 1877 when only 852,000 were produced. 1877 is now the scarcest of all Indian Head cents. A few years later demand picked back up and in 1879, production went above 10 million and stayed well above that number until near the end. In 1907, the mint produced over 100 million cents. It was the first time that any coin had been produced in such large numbers. Coin operated machines were making their appearance and cents were in huge demand. Until 1908, only Philadelphia made cents. Beginning in 1908, San Francisco made cents for the first time and in 1909, San Francisco produced the lowest mintage ever (309,000) for the Indian Head cent. Despite the fact that the Denver Mint had been around for a few years, Denver never made any one cent coins until 1911, the third year into the Lincoln Era. Over the course of its run, the Indian Head cent saw many changes. And with these changes, changes in government, etc, saw the desire for a change to the cent. In 1909, the Indian Head cent gave way to the most minted coin in the world, the [[PCGS 2419 - Lincoln Cent, Wheat Reverse (1909-1958), RD|Lincoln Cent]].
 ''Recorded Mintage:'' 36,400,000 plus about 800 proofs.

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 * [[United States 1859 dime|1859 dime]]
 * [[United States 1859-C 5 dollars|1859-C 5 dollars]]
 * [[United States 1860 cent|1860 cent]]
 * [[Coins and currency dated 1859]]

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 * Snow, Richard E., ''The Flying Eagle and Indian Cent Attribution Guide, 2nd. edition. 1859-1869'', Tucson, AZ: Eagle Eye Rare Coins, 2003.
 * Snow, Richard E., ''A Guide Book of Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2007.
-* Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), ''A Guide Book of United States Coins, 59th Ed.,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2005.
+* Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), ''A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed.,'' Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
 * U.S. Mint

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 ''Recorded Mintage:'' 36,400,000 plus about 800 proofs.
-''Specification:'' 72 grains (4.67 grams), 88% copper, 12% nickel, 19 mm diameter, plain edge. [[Chief Engravers of the United States Mint#James Barton Longacre|James B Longrace]], Chief Engraver at the Mint, designed the new obverse which was adapted from his design on the 1854 $3 gold dollar and Indian Head (Type 3) gold dollar. It is also now believed that [[Sculptors Engravers of the United States Mint#Anthony C. Paquet|Anthony C. Paquet]], who was an assistant engraver, either designed the reverse or had significant input into the design.
+''Specification:'' 72 grains (4.67 grams), 88% copper, 12% nickel, 19 mm diameter, plain edge. [[Chief Engravers of the United States Mint#James Barton Longacre|James B Longacre]], Chief Engraver at the Mint, designed the new obverse which was adapted from his design on the 1854 $3 gold dollar and Indian Head (Type 3) gold dollar. It is also now believed that [[Sculptors Engravers of the United States Mint#Anthony C. Paquet|Anthony C. Paquet]], who was an assistant engraver, either designed the reverse or had significant input into the design.
 ''Link to:''

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 [[Image:United States 1859 cent rev JM.jpg|300px|thumb]]
-Although the Flying Eagle cent seemed to be popular, officials at the Mint were not satisfied. It seems that higher points of the eagle were directly opposite of the wreath on the reverse causing striking problems such as weekly stuck coins. As early as 1857, changes were discussed as Mint Director Snowden proposed that Christopher Columbus should appear on the cent. Since no real person had ever been on a circulating US coin, it was believed that the idea of Columbus would not be approved. In 1858, pattern coins with a smaller eagle were designed by Assistant Engraver Anthony Paquet, but the result was not satisfactory. Sometime during the same year, James B Longrace, who was the Chief Engraver at the Mint, designed a new obverse which depicted an Indian. The reverse was a laurel (olive) wreath rather than the agriculture type wreath. These designs answered the problem of striking coins with design elements opposing each other.
+Although the Flying Eagle cent seemed to be popular, officials at the Mint were not satisfied. It seems that higher points of the eagle were directly opposite of the wreath on the reverse causing striking problems such as weekly stuck coins. As early as 1857, changes were discussed as Mint Director Snowden proposed that Christopher Columbus should appear on the cent. Since no real person had ever been on a circulating US coin, it was believed that the idea of Columbus would not be approved. In 1858, pattern coins with a smaller eagle were designed by Assistant Engraver Anthony Paquet, but the result was not satisfactory. Sometime during the same year, James B Longacre, who was the Chief Engraver at the Mint, designed a new obverse which depicted an Indian. The reverse was a laurel (olive) wreath rather than the agriculture type wreath. These designs answered the problem of striking coins with design elements opposing each other.
 The face of the design came from the 1854 $3 gold dollar, with the feather headdress changed. The idea of using an Indian headdress to symbolize "Liberty" was Longacre's and he explained it in a letter: ''To us it is more appropriate than the Phrygian cap; the emblem rather of the emancipated slave, than of independent freemen. of those who are able to say "we are never in bondage to any man". I regard the'' [the Indian headdress] ''then then emblem of America, as a proper and well defined portion of our national inheritance; and having now the opportunity of consecrating it as a memorial to Liberty, our Liberty, American Liberty; why not use it?''

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 == Gallery ==
 <gallery>
-Image:PCGS 2058 1860 Indian Head Cent. MS-64 a.jpg|Indian Head Cent, Copper-Nickel (1860-1864)
 </gallery>
 [[Category:Selections from the Mountain Groan Collection]][[Category:Coinage of the United States]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:26, 24 February 2021
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−	~~[[Image:PCGS 2051 - Indian Head Cent, No Shield (1859 only).jpg\|thumb\|550px\|Indian Head Cent, No Shield (1859 only)]]~~
	[[Image:United States 1859 cent obv DSLR.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|from the Mountain Groan Collection]]		[[Image:United States 1859 cent obv DSLR.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|from the Mountain Groan Collection]]
	[[Image:United States 1859 cent rev DSLR.jpg\|300px\|thumb]]		[[Image:United States 1859 cent rev DSLR.jpg\|300px\|thumb]]