1 Fugio Cent, United States, 1787
date: label: Date made
content: 1787
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: One (1) cent coin
label: Description (Brief)
content: United States, 1787
label: Description (Brief)
content: Obverse Image: Sundial below sun.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Obverse Text: FUGIO / 1787 / MIND YOUR BUSINESS
label: Description (Brief)
content: Reverse Image: 13 interlocking rings.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Reverse Text: UNITED STATES / WE ARE ONE
label: Description
content: The Congress of the Confederation – predecessor of the modern United States Congress – resolved in 1787 to issue the first national coinage, copper cents now known as “Fugio Cents.” James Jarvis, a Connecticut coiner, was selected to make them, but he misdirected much of the metal to unauthorized projects. As a result, the cents were light-weight and rejected by the public. Benjamin Franklin inspired this obverse design, which is interpreted to mean “Time flies, so mind your business.”
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Connecticut
label: place of issue
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Dr. Charles Doolittle Walcott
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: NU.68.27.026
label: accession number
content: 276908
label: catalog number
content: 68.27.026
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coin
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: copper (overall metal)
label: Physical Description
content: 0 (overall die axis)
label: Physical Description
content: 0 (overall die axis measurement)
label: Physical Description
content: struck (overall production method)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 28.4 mm; x 1 1/8 in