Design Types of U.S. Coins
The Early Years
After much deliberation and several false starts, the
government acquired buildings in Philadelphia in 1792 and set about establishing
a native mint. Toward the end of the year, patterns were produced of several
types, including the 1792 Silver Center cent, the curious and rare Birch cent,
the silver half disme (believed to have been struck off the premises in a nearby
location, for the Mint facilities were not quite ready), the disme, and the
enigmatic eagle-on-globe piece, believed to be a quarter.
The following year, 1793, marked the appearance of the
first circulating coins produced in large numbers, the half cent and three major
types of large cents. At the outset, only copper coins were produced, for
certain Mint officials had not been able to meet the monetary surety or bond
required before precious metal production could ensue. This difficulty was
overcome, and in 1794 the first silver denominations, consisting of the half
dime, half dollar, and dollar, were produced, to be followed in 1796 by the dime
and quarter.
Several designs recur among coins of the 1793 to 1799
years. The 1793 Chain and Wreath cent designs are distinctive and were not used
on other denominations, but the head of Miss Liberty with a Liberty Cap behind
was used on the half cent of 1793 and, facing in the opposite direction (right
instead of left), on large cents from 1793 through 1796.
The Liberty Cap motif, the symbol of freedom derived from
the cap given to slaves freed in ancient times, occurs over a long period in
American numismatics, particularly as part of the Liberty Seated design used on
silver coinage of the 1837-1891 span. Interestingly, Frank Gasparro, chief
engraver of the Philadelphia Mint, proposed a revival of the Liberty Cap design,
quite similar to that used on early cents and half cents, when Congress proposed
issuing a new metallic dollar in the late 1970s. However, the pressure of
special interests prevailed, and the liberty cap design was not to be. Instead,
the Susan B. Anthony dollar was created. The more things change, the more they
are the same, it has been said, and numerous other instances can be cited of
early designs or motifs being resurrected in later years. The Heraldic Eagle
design, used on silver dollars beginning in 1798, was also used, in modified
form, as the reverse of the Kennedy half dollar, which was first produced in
1964. Actually, the Heraldic Eagle motif is simply an adaptation of the Great
Seal of the United States.
