Walter Breen's Encyclopedia of Early United States Cents

1812

(Mint report: 1,075,500)

The long-awaited planchets from Boulton arrived before May 9, theoretically 20 long tons or 44,800 pounds should yield 1,866,666 cents. The actual number issued by the time this stock was exhausted in December 1814 was 1,851,330. Part of the discrepancy is attributable to overweight planchets, as in earlier years and part to mis struck cents. No more blanks could be ordered during the War of 1812 because there was an embargo on shipments to or from England.

All obverse dies of this year differ in treatment of the top lock. The two obverse dies with small date as in 1811 (thin center to 8) have narrow dentils as formerly. The other two obverse dies have a larger date, as in 1813-14 (thick center stroke to 8), and broad dentils. Reverses con-tinue to show narrow dentils, as formerly, through 1813.