Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents
Walter Breen
Some collectors marked the edges of their 1794 cents for identification. William Wallace Hays (possibly with collaborators) put Maris attribution numbers on many of his; he initialed 28 of them with H, 8 with CH, 3 with PH, 2 with PHELPS, and 2 with HALL. The reasons for the differences remain obscure. (John W. Adams, "A Numismatic Whodunit," Penny-Wise, no. 59, 3/15/1977, pp. 58-60.) During the last few weeks before his death in 1951, Homer K. Downing, Sheldon's collaborator on Early American Cents, filled the H and D in HUNDRED in yellow on most of his own: these coins appeared in the 1952 ANA Convention sale.
Head of 1793
January 10-13,1794
(11,000)
Obverse: Same device punch as on 1793 Liberty Caps with LIBERTY and date individually punched. Borders serrated rather than beaded, as previously. Dies were completed by Robert Scot, using Joseph Wright's device punch.
Reverse: Standard wreath pattern as on the 1793 Liberty Caps with 14 leaves left and 18 right, all in pairs except two left of CENT, two at top of the left branch, single leaf at ME, and a triplet at OF. ONE CENT is within the wreath, the statutory legend is around, and the fraction is below. Serrated borders as on the obverse. Some reverses of this design use wreath punches, containing bow, ribbon ends, wreath stem, and some leaves, but nothing else. Berries, berry stems, and leaf stems were all added by Robert Scot's hand.
Edge: I. Edge of 1793. ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR and a single leaf, its point and stem both pointing down. Letters are small and separated.
II. Edge of 1794. ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR and a single leaf, its point and stem both pointing up. Letters are large and close.
Either edge may read with obverse up or with reverse up. This difference is neither intentional nor a matter of error, only of chance. Blanks were lettered before striking and loaded into the hopper from which they were placed atop the lower die.
Diameter: Standard 18/16" (28.6 millimeters) Observed, 17.5-18.5/16- (27.5-29.4 millimeters)
Weight: Standard 208 grains (13.478 grams).