Here is a fresh and exciting example of this legendary early U.S. Mint rarity. Following the passage of the Mint Act of April 2, 1792, the Treasury Department made arrangements to set up a mint. Although there had been private mints in American dating back to the days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, this was to be the first federal institution. Dr. David Rittenhouse, an eminent scientist and craftsman, was named director. By mid-July, a press had been set up in the shop of John Harper at the corner of Sixth and Cherry streets and they began to produce the new federal coins. These were struck from $75 worth of silver bullion that had been deposited by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson took delivery of 1,500 half dismes on July 13, 1792, and it appears he spent them on his trip back to Monticello, largely as tips for the servants he encountered along the way. His very first payment of precisely five cents was logged on July 19, 1792 where the recipient of $0.05 was noted as “a child.” Most people believe that the mintage of 1,500 represented the entire mintage for the series. However, scholarly resources point out that there may have been as many as three striking periods in which coins were produced.
The example shown here is graded by PCGS as AU-50 and will be offered in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Spring 2022 Showcase Auction.
Coins in Motion seeks to enable collectors, bidders, and consignors to accurately appreciate how Stack’s Bowers Galleries coins look in hand. Ultra-high resolution animations depict how luster moves over the coin’s surfaces, while the rotating motion allows for any possible imperfections to be revealed. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is proud to have acquired Coins in Motion. To view our YouTube Playlist dedicated to Coins in Motion, click here. Videos are added weekly. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more updates here.
