The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-05
EARLY PArrnRNs OF CENTS.


other day in this city for silver
centre cent dated 1892 is the record
price for this specimen of the SER
les Of pattern cent pieces which
were made In 1891 and 1892 and
from which was selected the design
for regular coinage at the newly or
ganized United States Mint The
Mint, although in operation in 1892,
did not begin to strike coins for
general circulation until 1893.
The patterns were nearly all the
work of United States engravers,
and as this branch of art had not
made much advance in America
there were some crude examples of
die cutting which we're in sharp
contrast to the splendid work of the
French engravers. 1t is dificuM
now to discover the designers re-
sponsible for all these patternI
pieces, although the authorship of
certain of them can be fixed with
reasonable certainty. The original
engravers of the time were Jacob
Perkins, of NewbTyport, Mass;
Jacob Reich, Robert Scot, the first
Mint engraver; Joseph Wright, also
an employee of the Mint who is
said TO have made the dies FROM
which was struck the finest extaut
metallic portrait of Washington, and
Peter Getz, of Lancaster, Pa
To Getz, who was self-taught, is
credited the silver centre cent,
which received the name owing to
the fact that a small plug of silver
was inserted in the centre of the
copper piece to make the instrinsc
value of the coin about one cent, the
coin being much smaller in size than
the copper cent adopted The head
on the diverse, emblematic of lib.
erty, was apparently intended to
represent that of a woman, but the
features are more of a masculine
than feminine cast, and the loose,
| unkempt hair makes the portrait
ugly.
Around the border is inscribed
Liberty, Parent of Science and
Indust" Cry). On the reverse is a
wreath with the value enclosed, anu
around the border UNITED States of
America" below the wreath being
"1-100." The edge was rceded.
very rare pattern cent, slightly
| larger than even the large copper
cent, dated 1892, is known as the
Birch cent, the name of the engrav-
or Birch being engraved at the base
of the head of Liberty. This head
| facing to the right, has short flow
ing hair, and is surrounded by the
same inscription as was on the sill
yer centre cent.
Another extremely rare pattern
! cent, the engraver of which is moi
known, is dated 1892, and shows q
head OF Liberty, with the hair tied
the right Above is the word Lib
erty," and below the date, 1872
The reverse represents an eagle Will
upraiscd wings standing on sec
tion of a globe. The border Is com
posed of eighty-seven small stars,
This coin, of which but two speci
mems are known, has a roeded edge
and specimen has brought 5000.
In 1901 number of pattern cents
wcro struck by a saw manufacturer
named Harper in Philadelphia Al
of them bear the head OF Washing
ton. The first showed Washington
in military uniform, surrounded by
the inscription, Washington, Presi
y dent"
The reverse of one of these
pieces shows the eagle holding a
ribbon IN It's beak, on which is the
motto "E Pluribus Unum." On an
other variety struck above the eagle
are number of stars, and on still
another Is a band of clouds.
In 1892 Harper struck a number
Of other cents bearing the head o
Washington. One of those showet
naked bust of Washington, with
band around his hair. The revers,
bore an eagle with upraised wings
with a shield of six stripes on III
breast, a laurel branch in the rlgh
4 ldlOH anu u DullCn Ol uIIOWS III Jl'
left. This piece Is very rare ant
has brought $3.50,
Another Washington pattern
struck in both silver and copper, 1
dated 1892, and owing to the fac
that II does not bear a denomination
Is designated as cent when strucl
In copper and half dollar when 1
appears In silver. The reverse o
this coin was one OF the handsomes
Of the entire series of pattern coin
Of the time. 1t shows an eagle wit
upraised wings bearing upon IL
breast shield of seven stripes. Il
the right talon is an olive brancI
and in the left six arrows, Betwee
the wings are fifteen stars, Will,
around the border reads Omitted
States OF Amerca."
There was another coin dated RIO
intended as United States pattern
which was not adopted and did no
even meet the approval of its dc
slgner for some reason as a line ha
been drawn across the reverse,
was struck in silver and bore tn
head of Washington, like that oi
the so-called half dollar, but shove
I