1820
This year, Congress passed the Missouri Compromise, which prohibited slavery north of latitude 36 degrees 30 minutes in the Louisiana Territory. Maine also became a state. James Monroe and Daniel Tompkins were reelected president and vice president and the government offered land at $1.25 an acre, with the minimum purchase being 80 acres. The fourth census showed a population of 9.6 million and the first football games were played at American colleges.
In South America, San Martin captured Lima and Spain refused to acknowledge the independence of Greater Columbia. Revolutions swept Spain and Portugal, with the Portugese revolt ending in a more liberal constitution. The "Venus de Milo was discovered. The Russian explorer F.G. Bellinghausen is the first to sight land in Antarctica.
Cents of 1820 provide large dates, small dates, and overdates (three unused 1819 dies were overstamped 1820). A total of 4,407,550 cents were struck and delivered this year, almost half a million more than were struck in 1817. Most likely all cents issued this year were dated 1820. Fifteen different varieties are known for the cents of 1820 (N-1 through N-15). A number of uncirculated cents dated 1820, varieties N-13 and N-15 are available to collectors, thanks to the Randall hoard. No half cents were struck or delivered this year.
The nicest coins in the national collection include N 10 (1) and N 13 (2).
Large cents