1802
This year, Congress authorizes the President to arm merchant ships as protection against pirates in Tripoli. The Naturalization Act is repealed and the Alien and Sedition Acts are allowed to expire. France, Spain, and Britain sign the Treaty of Amiens, which restores all conquered territory to France and Napoleon becomes First Consul for Life. A Maryland physician, James Smith, opens a clinic that gives free small pox inoculations to the poor and the United States Military Academy is established at West Point, NY. Beethovan composed his Symphony #2 in D Major and Lamarck coined the word "biology." The Health and Morals Act is passed in England. It is the first important legislation protecting children in the work force.
The mint reported striking and delivering 3,435,100 cents this year. The earliest strikes of the year were dated 1801 while some of the first cents struck in 1803 were dated 1802. Thus, 3 1/2 million may be considered an approximate mintage for cents dated 1802. Half cents were first delivered in August, with a second deliver in September. These two deliveries totaled 14,366 half cents, the commonly accepted mintage for half cents of this date. It is also possible that the first delivery of half cents in 1803, 5,900 on August 8, were dated 1802.
Twenty-one different varieties are known for 1802 large cents (S-225 through S-242, NC-1, and NC-2). There are two one half cent varieties for the year, C-1 and C-2. The best coins in the National Numismatic Collection are C-2, S-232 (3), and S-233 (1).
Half Cent
Large Cents