In July 2015 we had the
pleasure of presenting for sale the Twin Leaf Collection, then the finest
collection of Middle and Late Date large cents. The coins had been assembled
over two decades by a collector who sought completion but was driven to buy
many of the finest coins that became available along the way. As a result, the
collection included many Condition Census pieces, as well as coins with
impressive provenance. While most cent collectors would be satisfied to acquire
one example of each variety, here we have a collector who stopped at nothing to
acquire every Proof available, including duplicates, and worked to assemble
representatives of the varying die states as well as the Newcomb numbers.
The 733 lots sold in July
2015 were those we selected as representing the finest example of each Newcomb
number, but as die states were a secondary focus of the collection, there were
substantial duplicates. As with any collection, the occasional upgrade also
resulted in secondary or tertiary specimens. Presented here is a fine offering
of duplicate coins from the magnificent Twin Leaf Collection.
When selecting coins for
the first sale, there were cases where it was a challenge to pick the best coin
since quality was always a guiding light in the assemblage of this collection.
As a result, some coins in this catalog will be found to be of similar quality
to those sold last July, while a few might even be seen as finer. At the very
least, all will be seen as nice for what they are. There are many
Condition Census coins included here and nearly all have interesting
provenances.
For an important piece of
context relating to a collection of large cents, we reproduce here a segment of
our introduction to Part I of the Twin Leaf Collection:
October 15, 1792
“In execution of the
authority given by the legislature, measures have been taken for engaging some
artists from abroad to aid in the establishment of our mint; provision has been
made for the requisite buildings, and these are now putting into proper
condition for the purposes of the establishment. There has also been a small
beginning in the coinage of the half dismes and cents, the want of small coins
in circulation calling our first attentions to them.”
-Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson wrote these
words to President George Washington in his capacity as secretary of state, a
response to Washington’s own request for commentary on important matters which
could be incorporated into his presentation at the opening of the next session
of Congress. Though Washington’s speechwriter, Alexander Hamilton, omitted
mention of the cent for what would become Washington’s address, Jefferson was
central to the early efforts to organize the Mint, and his words make it clear that
the cent was one of the first denominations struck by the United States, even
before the readiness of the first United States Mint facility.
Once the facility was
complete, regular coinage commenced in earnest in early 1793. It is with the
cent that coining operations began within the walls of the new Mint. On March
1, the first delivery of coins occurred, all one-cent pieces, amounting to
11,170 Chain cents.
The cent is the one
denomination that has remained a standard of American coinage. From 1792 to the
present time, only a single year has passed without production of the cent,
1815. In 1816, the cent is the only denomination that was struck. Considerable
quantities were made in most years, the most notable exception being 1799. The
availability and diverse range of dates makes a set of these coins by date not
only desirable to collect, but relatively easy with just a few challenges to
keep the search interesting.
Just as the cent has been
a standard within the context of American coinage, it has been central to
collectors since the birth of American numismatics. Whether assembling a
cabinet of fine old coppers or filling a Whitman “penny” board, for more 150 years, cents have been avidly
collected by those just beginning and those very advanced. They have long been
a numismatic favorite and seeking out the right specimens can be a long and
pleasurable journey. Certainly the collector of the Twin Leaf coins enjoyed his
journey and now has the pleasure of seeing a new generation of collectors enjoy
his coins, as they continue their journeys through the ages.