1843
This year, the United States recognized the independence of the Kingdom of Hawaii, the first covered wagon train left Independence, MO for Oregon, and a primitive typewriter was invented by Charles Thurber of Massachusetts. Dorothea Dix founds "The Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor of New York City," which suggested that current relief societies know the problems of the poor. Dix was also an advocate for the mentally ill.
In England, John Ruskin, an artist and a critic, published the first volume of Modern Painters, Hamilton devised complex numbers based on i, the square root of -1, and Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol. German Mendelssohn completed the music to "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the Wheatstone bridge was developed to measure electrical resistance, and Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard was the first to preach about existentialism.
The mint struck and delivered 2,425,342 large cents this year. Fourteen different varieties (N 2 – N 6, N 8 – N 12, and N 14 - N 17) are known for this year. Three distinct types are known for this year, the “Mature Head,” with Liberty aligned vertically and the “Petite Head,” with Liberty leaning to the left. “Petite Head” cents come with either large or small letters on the reverse. Two varieties (N 12 and N 13) are also known in proof. Half cents dated 1843 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 in the national numismatic collection for this year include C 1, N 2 (2), and N 14.
HALF CENT
LARGE CENTS