The 1793 Facing Left, Half Cent is the smallest denomination of any US Coinage series, but that isn’t the only interesting fact about the Half Cent denomination. It’s actually a bit of a mystery and debate, on the actual designer, of the coin itself. In addition, there were many factors that almost derailed the first Half Cent, and it’s a wonder we even have the coin to talk about and collect.

It all started when then President, George Washington and Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, diligently sought after talented European engravers. One in particular, Pierre Droz, a Swiss artist. However, they failed in this endeavor.

The matter was finally settled when an artist named Joseph Wright, from New Jersey, became the “unofficial” Mint Engraver in 1792. It was a short lived post as Wright died of Yellow Fever, less than a year into his new post, in late 1793. The Yellow Fever epidemic struck Philadelphia hard and prompted, all who could, to leave the city and caused a shut-down of mint operations for a time.

During this short tenure, sources give Wright only partial credit, along side Robert Birch, for a single creation, the 1792 Half Disme design (pronounced deem). It’s obvious that the facing left and flowing hair qualities of the 1792 Half Disme are the only similarities between it and the 1793 Flowing Hair Half Cent.

However, he must have worked, at least jointly, on the 1792 Disme during this time frame. Which is near an exact duplicate of the 1793 Half Cent portrait, minus the Pythagorean Cap on a pole. So who came up with the 1793 Liberty Bust, design? Was it the man responsible for the 1792 Disme Pattern?

We can, with certainty, eliminate Robert (Bob) Birch since all of his Proposed Coinages mirrors the same 1792 Half Disme Bust Design more than the 1793 Half Cent Bust. Robert Scot replaced Wright and was the first official Chief Engraver in November 1793, but he is not responsible for the 1793 Half Cent, Facing Left, Flowing Hair Liberty, Cap Pole design either.

Most experts give Henry Voight, the Chief Coiner, the credit for the obverse and reverse designs with no mention of Scot, Wright or Birch. I question the basis for this claim. It’s also known that Adam Eckfeldt, Voight’s assistant Coiner, might have had a hand in the design of the 1793 Half Cent, and some sources even give him credit for the 1792 Disme.

Other sources claim Wright designed the dies for the Half Cent obverse and Voight the reverse. So, it’s obvious that Wright and Voight worked in unison on the Flowing Liberty, Facing Left, Half Cent. However, Voight designed the 1793 Flowing Hair Large Cent and this portrait of Liberty is not as well executed as the Half Cent portrait in question.

Both, Large Cent and Half Cent Flowing Hair coins are similar in design concept but they’re much different renditions of a final product. So I still feel it’s a stretch to give Voight all the credit, and if we do, then it should be listed as a group or tandem creation, and maybe include Eckfeldt, as well? I personally believe it would be an injustice to credit any single person for this design, and I will tell you why. Read the rest

I thought it would be interesting to write an article that covers World Samples Slabs, as a change of pace, instead just US Coin Sample Slabs. As far as my knowledge, all the reputable Coin Grading Services have issued World Sample Slabs, but are too numerous to cover them all in just one article. However, what we can cover is a very interesting myriad of samples and the World Coins they contain. World Samples Slabs first appeared in early 1990 and are an important part of sample slab history, in both, the slabs issued and the types of coins they chose to encase, and all are a part of what makes this such fascinating hobby. Read the rest of this entry »

CoinHELP! has expanded and updated their Indian Head Cent Price Guide. The price guide includes business strike grades from good through MS65 and proof values for PR63 and PR65, plus all major varieties and types.

The values listed, in this Indian Head Cent value chart, were compiled and averaged from online auction’s final value sales and other third party price guides.

Also, raw and coins graded by PCGS, ANACS, NGC, were included in our formula to achieve the average value for each date, mint, variety and type.

To view the latest Indian Head Cent Price Guide click here

Related Links: How to grade Indian Head Cents, Indian Head Cent images, facts, specifications, Indian Head Cent Patterns

 

Not interested in Indian Head Cent values? Here’s our list of price guides for all US Coins U.S. Coin Price Guides 

 

Some of already you know, whiles others don’t, but it’s a fact that the Presidential Dollar Program is a bust. I liked the idea and still do, but it’s costing tax payers a lot of money. It’s not a good time, for any government program, to be considered an obvious loss of money during an era of spending cuts as we’re are enduring presently.

I wonder what decision Congress will make on this matter? Will they just cut the mintage of each coin? Will they cease the Presidential Golden Dollar Program forever? Or will they suspend it, for a later time, until it’s more economical to continue production?

Watch this video and you will see a need for swift action. Click the title of this article to view entire article and watch video.

I recently watched a bidding war on eBay, 43 bids battling it out for the chance to be the new owner of a PCGS, 1964 W/ Japan, 100 Yen, Olympic Silver, sample slab that eventually sold for $92.99. It’s a very rare sample, and by the looks of the bids, it showed. I have never before seen one for sale before, but you never know when one will show up again.

Without a population report on this particular sample, or any other sample, it is unknown how many were made. This got me thinking about the really rare sample slabs, and if people know what to look for, when rummaging through dealers bins, or if one comes up for action?

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