1834

    This year, America had more than 1,000 miles of railroad lines, mostly along the Atlantic coast. Weekly steamboat service between Buffalo and Ft. Dearborn (Chicago) also began. The Whig Party was formed and the Senate adopted Henry Clay’s resolution censuring President Jackson for removing public funds from the Bank of the United States. Americans also began eating tomatoes this year. Previously, they had been considered poisonous.

     In Europe, civil war broke out in Spain. Great Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain allied to put down the rebellion. In France, Louis Braille perfected a system of characters enabling the blind to read. Sir Robert Peel became prime minister of Great Britain and Babbage discovered the principle of analytical engines. This principle eventually led to the development of computers.

     A total of 1,855,100 large cents were delivered in 1834, probably all dated 1834. The mint delivered no half cents this year, but half cents dated 1834 are known. A delivery on December 31, 1835 of 141,000 coins is thought to be those dated 1834. There are seven varieties of large cent (N 1 – N 7) and only one variety (C 1) of half cent known for this date. Large cent varieties are known with large obverse stars, a large 8 in the date, and with both large and small letters on the reverse. Proof cents (N 3 and N 7) and half cents (C 1) were struck bearing this date. The N 7 is known only as a proof and may have been struck later.

    The nicest coin in the national numismatic collection is N-3 (3).

HALF CENTS

C-1 (1)

C-1 (2)

C-1 (3)

C-1 (4)

C-1 (5)

C-1 (6)

N-1 (1)

N-1 (2)

N-2 (1)

N-2 (2)

N-2 (3)

N-2 (4)

N-3 (1)

N-3 (2)

N-3 (3)

N-4 (1)

N-4 (2)

N-5

N-6

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