Historic and Obtainable 1792 Half Disme

1792 H10C Half Disme, Judd-7, Pollock-7, LM-1, R.3. --Scratched--NCS. VF Details. The obverse has some minor pin scratches, primarily in the fields, and on the reverse there is a deeper scratch from the back wing of the eagle to the rim between the IC of AMERICA. While these surface scratches are present, they are not as distracting as they could be, and the coin is toned with a pleasing light silver color with a hint of gold on the devices. The strike is typically sharp, and the wear generally even although we note that the tops of STR of INDUSTRY are a bit weak, and the right wing of the eagle fades into the field near the center of that device. This particular coin is a testament to the fact that these first Half Dismes were made for circulation. Although some were saved and remain in various states of uncirculated condition, most show wear to some degree.
These were struck in John Harper's cellar as the new Philadelphia Mint was not yet set up. The dies were engraved by Robert Birch, and by tradition Liberty is represented by Martha Washington from a painting by John Trumbull. George Washington provided the silver for the bullion to strike these coins, and this bullion was delivered by Thomas Jefferson on July 10, 1792 and Jefferson returned on July 12 to pick up the coins. As the summer heat brought the annual Yellow Fever epidemic to the Philadelphia area, Jefferson picked up the newly struck Half Dismes and took them to Monticello for the summer. On October 1, Jefferson returned to the city, but stopped on his way by Mt. Vernon to drop off these coins to Washington. During July 1792 the new Director of the Mint, David Rittenhouse had purchased the lots and buildings which would become the new Philadelphia Mint, and the months of August and September were filled with the renovations of the old distillery into a modern coining facility. Washington and others had been eager to start coinage as a proof of sovereignty of the new American nation, and issuing their own new coins was a statement that would be understood throughout the world. Washington gave many of these coins away to dignitaries and other important people to show the world that America had arrived as a nation. Few obtainable American coins are so wrapped in history and any collector would be proud to own this specimen of this historic and coveted issue.
Ex: Stack's privately, (June, 1987). Envelope Included.(Registry values: P9) (#11020)

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