"Second, the early coppers are rich in die varieties, cracked dies, imperfect and unusual planchets, misstruck coins, and other minor variations. If one possesses even a rudimentary flair for classification, these coins present a challenge which easily becomes a fascination. Among the cents from 1793 through 1803, the first 11 years of the series, 301 different true varieties are now known. That is to say, coins of these dates are in existence which were struck from 301 different pairs or combinations of obverse and reverse dies. Dates mean but little to the advanced student of cents. It is the die variety that largely determines the rarity and value of the coin.

"In the early days at the Mint the dies were all cut by hand, and a good deal of the personality of the die cutter was likely to find its way into the new die. Moreover the method for hardening steel then in use was ineffective. The new die soon cracked or deteriorated, sometimes in many places, and the resulting coins showed these developing imperfections as ridges, irregular lines, and extra masses of metal on their surfaces. Often coins are found with cracks on both obverse and reverse - both dies were cracked. Die crack variations are not counted as different die varieties, but they are of great interest to collectors, who sometimes are able by means of them to trace the history of a die from the first few coins struck by it, through the whole progression of increasingly severe breaks, until at last it shattered and broke down altogether. Specialists on early cents have a keen eye for die breaks and have made great use of them in establishing, among other things, the probable order of issue of the known varieties of a date. Thus what the lovers of old coins like to call a science of numismatics is gradually built up.

"Third, old copper, like beauty, appears to possess a certain intrinsic quality or charm which for many people is irresistible. An experienced dealer in American numismatic materials recently wrote as follows: `Sooner or later, if a collector stays at the business long enough, it is three to one his interest in all the other series will flag and he will focus his attention on the early cents.'

"Gold, silver, and even bronze appear to be very much the same wherever you see them. Coins made of these metals become `old money' and `interesting,' like the stuff seen in museums, but copper seems to possess an almost living warmth and a personality not encountered in any other metal. The big cent is something more than old money. Look at a handful of the cents dated before 1815, when they contained relatively pure copper. You see rich shades of green, red, brown, yellow, and even deep ebony; together with blendings of these not elsewhere matched in nature save perhaps in autumn leaves. If the light is good (direct sunlight is preferable) you will possibly observe that no two of the coins are of quite the same color.