1793
This year, the Yellow Fever epidemic killed 500 people in Philadelphia. George Washington and John Adams were reelected President and Vice President of the United States and King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were beheaded, as the Committee of Public Safety began its reign of terror in France. James Hoban created the design for the White House and George Washington laid the cornerstone for the US Capitol Building. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and William Wadsworth, the English poet, published his first poems. Compulsory education at the age of 6 took effect in France.
This was the first year large cents and half cents were struck for circulation, pursuant to the Act of January 14, 1793, which set weight standards for these coins. Three different types of large cents were struck this year, Chain cents, Wreath cents, and Liberty Cap cents. Half cents of this year have Liberty facing left, the only year she is depicted this way. All other years, she faces right.
A total of 110,512 cents were struck and delivered this year. These included 36,103 Chain cents, 63,353 Wreath cents, and only 11,056 Liberty Cap cents. Half cent mintage was a mere 35,334. There were five different varieties of Chain cents (S-1 through S-4 and NC-1), eleven different Wreath cent varieties (S-5 through S-11 and NC-2 through NC-5), and six different Liberty Cap cent varieties (S-12 through S-16 and NC-6) made this year. Five different varieties of half cents are known (C-1 through C-5).
The National Numismatic Collection contains 3 half cents and 9 large cents from this year, six Chain cents, 2 Wreath cents, and 1 Liberty Cap cent. There are also 2 electrotypes in the collection. The nicest coins are C-2, C-3, C-4, S-1 (1), S-1 (2), S-3 (1), S-3 (3), S-6, S-9, and S-13.
Half Cents
Large Cents