1797
This year, the first English copper pennies were struck at Matthew Boulton's Soho Mint. Ah, that the penny should become so debased! There were troubles between the United States and France this year, which led to the XYZ Affair. The Royal Society rejected Jenner's smallpox vaccination technique and Caroline Herschel, an English astronomer, discovered her eighth comet in 11 years.
Cents were first struck this year on February 5th and half cents about 2 months later. Mint records show that 897,510 large cents and 127,840 half cents were delivered in 1797. These numbers, however, do not give a true indication of the number of coins struck bearing this date. Many 1797 half cents are struck over reject cents dated 1798 and 1800. To confuse matters even more, the first cents struck this year were dated 1796. These coins were struck using inferior "Coltman" blanks, and the resulting coins almost always appear porous.
Thirty-two different varieties are known for 1797 large cents, 24 Sheldon numbered varieties (S-120 through S-143) and 8 NC's. There are three different half cent varieties dated 1797 (C-1 through C-3). The best coins in the National Numismatic Collection are both the half cents, C-1 and C-2, and the S-131 (1).
HALF CENTS CENTS