Cent coins and half cents were the first to be produced by the United States Mint as stated by the Coinage Act of 1792. Production started in 1793 and from then on, cent coins, large and small, have been a part of United States coinage history.
Continuing our series that follows the evolution of a denomination, we will tackle large cents from their inception to their demise for which the small cent would take over. They would be produced every year from 1793 until 1857 with the exception of 1815 as there was a shortage of copper which prevented planchets from...read more