Tony Two-Cent
Administrator
Isn't it beautiful?
The finest known surviving example of the first coins made for circulation by the young United States Mint in 1792 will return to Philadelphia for a homecoming display, August 14-18, at the 2018 World’s Fair of Money. The small silver coin with huge significance was formerly owned by the first Mint Director, David Rittenhouse.
It was worth just 5¢ when it was struck with a hand-operated coining press 226 years ago in a basement across the street from where the first mint building was under construction. It now is insured for $2.5 million by its owner, Brian Hendelson, President of Classic Coin Company of Bridgewater, New Jersey.
It is known as a Half Disme, an early spelling of the word, dime. Only 1,500 were produced in July 1792 using silver supplied by then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. The rainbow-toned example in the upcoming exhibition is graded Mint State 68 (on a 1 to 70 scale) by Professional Coin Grading Service and is the finest known of only several hundred surviving examples of the 1792 Half Dimes.
The finest known surviving example of the first coins made for circulation by the young United States Mint in 1792 will return to Philadelphia for a homecoming display, August 14-18, at the 2018 World’s Fair of Money. The small silver coin with huge significance was formerly owned by the first Mint Director, David Rittenhouse.
It was worth just 5¢ when it was struck with a hand-operated coining press 226 years ago in a basement across the street from where the first mint building was under construction. It now is insured for $2.5 million by its owner, Brian Hendelson, President of Classic Coin Company of Bridgewater, New Jersey.
It is known as a Half Disme, an early spelling of the word, dime. Only 1,500 were produced in July 1792 using silver supplied by then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. The rainbow-toned example in the upcoming exhibition is graded Mint State 68 (on a 1 to 70 scale) by Professional Coin Grading Service and is the finest known of only several hundred surviving examples of the 1792 Half Dimes.
