1846
This year, Iowa became the 29th state. The United States and Great Britain settled their dispute over the border of the Oregon Territory, setting the boundary at the 49th parallel. War was declared on Mexico on May 13 and by the end of the year, United States troops had captured Monterrey, Mexico and Monterey, California. The first recorded game of baseball was played in Hoboken, NJ and a Belgian instrument maker, Antoine Joseph Sax, patented the saxophone. The Smithsonian Institution is established by Congress, using money (English gold sovereigns) left by James Smithson for the advancement of scientific research in the United States. James Renwick started designing the Smithsonian "castle" building this year.
This year, the planet Neptune was discovered by two German astronomers, nitroglycerine was invented by Italian Ascanio Sobrero, and cellular protoplasm was identified by Hugo von Mohl, a German botanist. The British government repealed the "Corn Laws," which restricted the import and export of grain, the Sikhs ceded Kashmir to Britain, and Henry Rawlinson was able to decipher the cuneiform inscriptions on Babylonian stones, opening the study of this civilization.
The Mint struck 4,120,800 cents this year, using dies with three different size date digits. None of these date size types are rare, but several of the large date varieties are difficult to locate. Twenty-six different variety cents were struck bearing this date. Three types of half cents were struck bearing the date 1846, originals, first restrikes, and second restrikes. Originals were struck in 1846 to make proof coins for collectors, a practice the Mint had followed for almost 30 years at this time. The total number of original half cents struck is unknown, but Breen claimed to know about 16 examples. First and second restrikes were struck later, in the late 1850's and 1860's. They were marketed by Mint employees to collectors of the time. Mintage figures for these restrikes are also unknown.
The best large and half cents from this year in the National Numismatic Collection are a proof half cent, 1846 C-1, a proof large cent, 1846 N-22, and a a rare die state example of 1846 N-5.
HALF CENT LARGE CENTS