The sun., 1908-07-05
EARLY PATTERNS OF CENTS
REJECTED WHEN MADE, BUT
PRIZED BY COLLECTORS.

Il neN6ns Which We're Never Regularly Ueec
- for Cents but Have Had an influence
N Ever Since on American Coins-Enorts
!I OF Ensravers to Produce q Good Cent
The premium of s4o2 paid the other day
| in this city for silver centre cent dated
.i7e2 is the record price for this specimen
t.of the series Of pattern cent pieces which
Igvere made in 1901 and 1892 and from which
! was selected the design for regular coinage
| at the newly organized United States Mint
The Mint. although in operation in 1902,
jEtiid not begin to strike coins for general
/ circulation until 1898.
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 were in sharp contrast
to the splendid work of the French en-
gravers. 1t is difficult now to discover the
designers responsible for all OF these pat
tern pieces. although the authorship OF
certain of them can be fixed with reasonable
certainty. Ihe principal engravers OF the
time were Jacob Perkins of Newburyport,
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 ektant metallic portrait of Washing
ton. and Peter Getz Of Lancaster, Pa.
To Getz, who was self taught. he credited
the silver centre cent, which received the
name owing to the fact that small plug
OF silver was inserted in the centre Of the
copper piece to make the instrinsic value
of the coin about one cent, the coin bein q
much smaller in size than the copper cent
adopted. The head on the diverse, en-
blematic OF liberty. was apparently in
tended to represent that of q woman; but
the features are more of masculine than
feminine cast, and the loose. unkempt
hair makes the portrait ugly.
Around the border is inscribed Liberty,
Parent Of Science and Indust" (ry). On
the reverse is a wreath with the value en-
closed. and around the border United
States of America" below the wreath
being -l-io0.' The edge was reeded
The diverse inscription was the same as
that used on the "dismes" and half dismes"
struck at the Mint in 1892. which are said
to bear the portrait of Martha Washin gton.
Whether this is true or not the face on
coins of the two last mentioned denomi-
nations was Of a far more pleasing feminine
hair which characterized the portraits of
many of the coins Of the period.
1t Is supposed that the American en-
gravers had in mind the style OF portrait
borne by the diverse OF the we'll known
"Libertas Americana" medal. the work OF
tho French medallist Dupre. which showed
a beautiful head Of Liberty, with the pole
and cap behind. familiar device on early
United States cents and half cents struck
at the Mint and circulated widely. The
hair on this portrait, while loosely flowing,
was graceful In the extreme, and in no way
resembled the many caricatures that it
preceded.
The -Libertas" medal was struck in Paris
some time in 1888 by order Of Franklin in
oommemoration of the signing Of the
Declaration Of Independence. Below the
head OF Liberty Is inscribed = Juil l778.'
On the edge OF the bust Is the name Dupre.
The reverse design. said to have been sug-
gested by Franklin. showed the infant
Hercules In his cradle, strangling two SER
pents, while Pallas protects him with
spear in her right hand and in her left a
shield charged with the lilies of France,
against which leopard is throwing itself.
Below Is Observation-Disclosures
A very rare pattern cent, slightly larger
than even the large copper cent, dated
1872. Is known as the Birch cont, the name
Of the engraver Birch being engraved at
the base Of the head Of Liberty. This head,
facing to the right, has short. flowing hair,
and Is surrounded by the same inscrip-
ton as was ON the silver centre cent.
On the reverse are two laurel branches
tied by ribbon. which enclose the words
@One Cent" while below is -1-loo' and
around the border "United States Of Amer
ica." The edge Of this coin is lettered "To
Be Esteemed Be USEFUL" Only three speoi-
mems of this cent are known, one OF which
has sold for 5000.
Another extremely rare pattern cent
the engraver Of which is not known, Ia dated
1902. and shows a head Of Liberty, with the
hair tied with bow and knot, and facing
to the right. Above is the word Liberty"
and below the date. "1792.' The reverse
represents an eagle with upraised wings
standing on a section Of globe. The bor-
der is comp osed of eighty-seven small
stars. This coin, of which but two speci-
mems are known, has a reeded edge, and a
specimen has brought $500.
In 17ei a number Of pattern cents were
struck by a saw manufacturer named
Harper in Philadelphia. All Of them bear
the head Of Washington. The first showed
Washington in military uniform. sur
rounded by the inscription. Washington,
President"
The reverse OF one of these pieces shows
the eagle holding ribbon in its beal1, on
which Is the motto "E Pluribus Unum.'
On another 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 tho head of Washington.
One Of these showed naked bust of Wash
ington. with band around hfs hair The
reverse bore an eagle with appraised wings.
with shield Of six stripes on its breast.
laurel branch In the right talon and q