The Washington Eagle Cents of 1791

Large Eagle Cent

obverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

reverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

1791        Baker 15                       Washington Large Eagle Cent

Obverse:  WASHINGTON   PRESIDENT   1791
Reverse:  ONE CENT [the eagle holds a scroll in his beak with the incluse motto:] UNUM     E PLURIBUS
Lettered edge: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . X .
Click here for samples of the edge lettering sample 1 ; sample 2 ; sample 3 ; sample 4 and sample 5.

Weight:  184.8 g   (11.97 grams)             Diameter:  30.0 mm           Reverse die alignment: 180°

Comments:  Listed by Fuld as WA.1791.1 and by Dalton and Hamer as, Middlesex, Political and Social Series, no. 1049. On the obverse there is a small die break, as a dot, to the left of the foot of the A. Also two styles of letter punches were used as some letters have a "notched" bottom serif; both straight and notched varieties are used for the letters I, N and T. In the date the initial numeral 1 was recut so that the top appears doubled. On the reverse note the Large American eagle with dropped wings holding a scroll in its beak that gives the national motto in its less familiar form. The shield has thirteen stripes (seven stripes are incluse). In the lettering the punch for the E is missing most of the top serif.

Provenance:  Acquired through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA auction of January 13, 1996, lot 653.

Small Eagle Cent

obverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

reverse 500 dpi 250 dpi

1791        Baker 16                       Washington Small Eagle Cent

Obverse:  WASHINGTON   PRESIDENT .
Reverse:  ONE CENT   1791
Lettered edge: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . X .
Click here for samples of the edge lettering sample 1 ; sample 2 ; sample 3 ; sample 4 and sample 5.

Weight:  190.7 g   (12.35 grams)             Diameter:  30.1 mm           Reverse die alignment: 170°

Comments:   Listed by Fuld as WA.1791.2 and by Dalton and Hamer as, Middlesex, Political and Social Series, no. 1050. Note that in the letter E there is a serif on the bottom stroke but not on the top stroke. On the obverse the top stroke of the second E in PRESIDENT is weak due to a defective punch, this same defect is also found on the reverse on the E in CENT; however this does not appear to be the same punch used on the reverse of Baker 15. A similar but less noticable problem occurs at the bottom left of the letter C in CENT. Note this eagle is smaller than in Baker 15 and the wings are raised. Also the scroll has been replaced with a field of stars and clouds.

Provenance:  Acquired through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA auction of November 16, 1996, lot 100.

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