Walter Breen
Obverse: Head facing right, the cap behind it hanging from a pole whose end lies along the bust line. Hair is partly confined by a narrow ribbon behind the forelock. LIBERTY above, date below, from punches larger than those on the Wreath cents, but slightly smaller than those used on the Chain design. The border consists of 95, 96, or 97 beads.
Reverse: Slender wreath of two branches, tied with a double bow ribbon, and enclosing ONE CENT. The statutory legend around with fraction below. The border consists of either 86 or 91 beads. Leaves are mostly from a punch; berries and berry stems added by hand. Standard pattern for the wreath: 14 leaves left, 18 leaves right, in pairs except for two single leaves left of the bow, two at the top left, triple leaf at OF, and a single outer leaf nearest ME, at about 3:00. This pattern continues through 1794 and is presupposed in all reverse descriptions.
Edge: Lettered, with one leaf cluster after DOLLAR, as variety 16c.
Diameter: 18/16" (28.6 millimeters). Observed range 27.5 to 30 millimeters
Weight standard: As before.
Planchet stock: Rolled scrap copper, as before.
Warning: Forgeries exist, altered from 1794 and 1795 cents. (Compare Penny- Wise, no. 29, 3/15/1972, p. 63, altered from 1794 2bi Penny-Wise, no. 33, 11/15/1972, pp. 260-261i Penny- Wise, no. 68, 9/15/1978, pp. 211, 235.) Beware, also, of electrotypes. A recent forgery was created from a Gallery Mint copy with the word COPY removed and the surfaces aged. (John D. Wright, "A New 5-15 ... Or a New Variety??," Penny-Wise, no. 185, 3/15/1998, pp. 73-77.)
Obverse 12. In LIBERTY, the I is high, E is below B-R, and ER nearly touch. The shoulder loop is faint and incomplete, the pole is weak and shallow, and the date is often weak. 95 beads. Always seen with a vertical bisecting crack from the top rim through E, earlobe, and 3 to the lower rim.
Reverse J. Standard pattern. Six berries on the left branch with five on the right. Two berries are left of the bow, similar to most 1794 varieties. Triple leaf at OF, unlike reverse K. The single leaf at ME lies along the wreath stem. Ribbon ends are square and the fraction bar is long, running into the right ribbon almost at its end. 91 beads.
Condition Census:
EF-45 From England • Q. David Bowers • Lester Merkin • Charles Jay • Stack's 10/1967: 91 $10,500 • unknown • Anthony Terranova • Herman Halpern, 12/11/1986 • R. E. Naftzger, Jr., 2/23/1992 • Eric Streiner s Jay Parrino (The Mint), 5/1996 • W. M. "Jack" Wadlington. Obverse and reverse illustrated in Noyes.
EF-40 Joseph J. Mickley • W. Elliot Woodward, 10th Semi-Annual Sale, 10/1867: 1934 $37.50 • Richard B. Winsor • S. H. & H. Chapman 12/1895: 827 $115 • S. H. & H. Chapman • George H. Earle, Jr. • Henry Chapman 6/1912: 3369 $270 • Dr. George P. French, 3/21/1929 • B. Max Mehl FPL, 1929: 16 $1,200 • Henry A. Sternberg, 11/1932 • George H. Clapp • ANS. State II. Obverse illustrated on the Crosby-Levick Plate and in The United States Coinage of 1793 by Sylvester S. Crosby (1897). Obverse and reverse illustrated in Early American Cents and in Penny Whimsy.