1842
This year, the Webster-Ashburton Treaty set the northern boundaries of Maine and Minnesota, a congressional reapportionment act provided that congressmen be elected from districts, not state-wide, and John Fremont began an expedition to explore the trail to Oregon. Massachusetts passed a law limiting the work day to 10 hours for children under 12, Edwin P. Christy organized the "Christy Minstrels," and Dr. Crawford Long of Georgia was the first physician to use an anesthetic while performing suergery.
In China, the Opium War ended, with China ceding Hong Kong and opening her ports to foreign trade. A fire destroyed much of Hamburg, Germany, Christian Doppler, an Austrian physicist, published a paper describing the "Doppler" effect, and Richard Wagner presented his opera, "Rienzi," in Dresden.
The mint struck and issued 2,383,390 large cents this year. Nine varieties are known (N 1 – N9). Varieties of this year feature a large and a small date. One variety (N 1) is known in proof. Half cents dated 1842 were struck only as proofs. There is no record of how many were struck. Restrikes of these coins were made in the late 1850’s and early 1860’s. Restrikes come with either large or small berries on the reverse.
The nicest coins for this year include C 1, N 1 (1), N 4 (1), and N 9 (1).
HALF CENT
LARGE CENTS