It should be easy to determine which of our nation’s early coins was actually the first ever issued to the public, but unfortunately the answer to that question is not as clear as it should be. There are no existing records that tell with certainty what came first, but there are some intriguing guesses. The first U.S. Mint was opened in 1793, but the question of coins being made before that presents a problem.
1792 Half Disme (Half Dime)
President George Washington was anxious to begin coinage for the new nation because coins have always been considered an internationally recognized symbol of sovereignty. He was so intent on starting coinage that he had a few special silver half dimes made in 1792 to give to his friends as samples of what the country’s new money would look like.
Were those the nation’s first real coins? Some say so, but others argue that they were only trial pieces and not coins duly authorized or made at an official mint. Proponents of another point of view believe that the cents and half cents of 1793 were the first uncontested real coins ever made for circulation. Most numismatic students opt for this latter belief because the 1793 coins were unquestionably made at the Mint in compliance with regulations.
1793 "Flowing Hair" Liberty Cent
Resolving the basic question, however, takes a bit more study. Which of the two coins, the cent or the half-cent, was actually the first one made, and which was the first to be placed in circulation? Therein lies the real question. It seems logical to assume that the half-cent came first. It was the most needed coin, and it would have been the easiest to manufacture. In June 1792 the first mint director, David Rittenhouse, requested permission from the president to coin several denominations including the half-cent and permission was granted.
As it turned out, in February 1793 the first cent pieces were coined, but nothing was done about the half cents. It wasn’t until May that blanks were prepared for half cents, but even then production was delayed for another two months. The cents went quickly into circulation, and upstaged the half-cents by many months. So the cent was the winner in all ways except for the design which proved so unpopular that it was changed immediately. By July both copper coins were in production and the nation on its way to achieving sovereign recognition.
Don’t Overlook The Mint Mark
Denver Mint Mark
When describing or discussing coins it is just as important to identify the “mint mark” as it is to tell the date. Not all coins have a distinguishing mark to tell where it was minted, but most do and it is easy to remember what the tiny letters stand for when classifying your coins. There are two operating United States Mints today. One is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the other is in Denver, Colorado.
Special mint marks have been used on coins ever since the ancient Romans set up mints in various places and needed to keep track of which coins were being made of good metal and which were being debased. In medieval England when King Henry I learned that some of his minters were cheating on the money they were making, he invited them all to a party and publicly punished the offenders. Throughout history the mint mark on a coin has been a distinguishing control mark of where each coin was produced and who stands behind its quality and value.
Philadelphia Mint Mark
There have been several operating mints in the United States over the years. Most of them were set up to facilitate production of coins in areas where gold or silver was discovered. In former times it was more practical to mint coins right on the spot, than to ship the raw metal to a central mint for coinage. The original United States Mint was set up in Philadelphia in 1793. It was the first federal building ever made in this country. Since that time the main Mint has always been in Philadelphia. All other production facilities are considered Branch Mints.
Carson City Mint Mark
When gold was discovered in North Carolina and Georgia special mints were opened in Charlotte and Dahlonega to make gold coins. These were in operation from 1838 to 1861. Both bear distinctive mint marks. C for Charlotte and D for Dahlonega. Later, when a mint was opened in Denver, Colorado in 1906, the letter D was again used to signify that mint. Silver from Nevada was minted at Carson City from 1870-1893 and was identified by the CC mint mark.
San Francisco Mint Mark
The San Francisco Mint operated from 1854 to the present, but in recent years only Proof coins have been made there. The letter S has always been used to signify that mint, and the letter O was used to identify the New Orleans Mint that operated in Louisiana from 1838 to 1909. The newest U.S. mint is that in West Point, New York, where special bullion and commemorative coins are made.
The mint in Philadelphia did not use any special mark until 1943 when the silver nickels made during the war were identified by large mint marks to help distinguish them from normal production. Starting in 1979 the letter P has been used on the dollar coins, and thereafter on all coins other than cents.
West Point Mint Mark
When coins are being discussed, they are usually identified as to date, mint, and denomination. A simple notation such as “1914-D Cent” will tell any collector exactly which coin is being described. In this case the difference between the Denver coin, and one without a mint mark could amount to several hundred dollars. Mint marks are usually very tiny, but to collectors they make a world of difference.
1921 Morgan Silver Dollar Mint Mark Set