1855
The settling of Kansas by pro- and anti-slavery people leads to war this year. Kansas assumed the title "Bleeding Kansas." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote "The Song of Hiawatha," Samuel Kier built the first American oil refinery in Pittsburg, PA, "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper" (later "Leslie's Weekly") was first published in New York City, and Congress passed a law granting citizenship to children born to Americans outside the country.
William Walker, an American, lands with a small force and overthrows the government of Nicaragua. French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps was granted the concession to build the Suez Canal, Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, and Charles Dickens published Little Dorrit, a novel that criticized debtor's prison.
Due to an increased demand for minor silver coinage this year, copper coin production dropped. The mint struck only 1,574,829 large cents and 56,500 half cents this year. Thirteen varieties of large cents (N 1 – N 13) and one half cent variety (C 1) are known for this date. Cents of this year come with two styles of date, one with all the digits upright and another with the 55 slanted. One large cent variety, N 11, is proof only. The half cent variety comes both as a business strike and a proof. The number of proofs struck is unknown. Half cents were delivered on April 28.
The nicest coins for this year include C 1 (1) and N 4.
HALF CENTS
LARGE CENTS