Posted 03/28/2015 09:05 am
Sure I've known about them for years.
Designed by Birch (first name unknown but commonly attributed to Robert Birch.) These are mentioned in the correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and Washington in regard to the attempt to make the cents smaller by using a silver plug worth 3/4 and a cent in them. Jefferson writes "Th Jefferson has the honor to send the President Two Cents made on Voight's plan by putting a silver plug worth 3/4 of a cent into a copper worth 1/4 cent. Mr Rittenhouse is about to make a few vy mixing the same plug by fusion with the same quantity of copper. He will then make of copper alone of the same size. & lastly he will make the real cent as ordered by Congress. 4 times as big. Specimens of these several ways of making the cent may now be delivered to the Committee of Congress now having the subject before them."
That final "real cent as ordered by Congress. 4 times as big" was the Birch Cent. (The others Judd 1 the silver center cent, and Judd 2 the alloyed copper and silver, and the pure copper. Judd uses the same number for both. there are only two of the alloy pieces known and about 10 of the pure copper ones. The last time a new one was discovered PCGS slabbed it as a Judd 2 but never bothered to weigh it or run a specific gravity on it to find out which type it was.)
The Birch cent is quite rare but there are a few MS pieces known. The one in the auction is one of them. Another is in the Smithsonian. That one was exhibited back in 1993 at a ceremony honoring the 200th anniversary of the US Mint. President Clinton held it up to display it for the cameras held firmly between thumb and forefinger.......and not by the edges. Oh and the coin was NOT in a holder of any kind.
Designed by Birch (first name unknown but commonly attributed to Robert Birch.) These are mentioned in the correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and Washington in regard to the attempt to make the cents smaller by using a silver plug worth 3/4 and a cent in them. Jefferson writes "Th Jefferson has the honor to send the President Two Cents made on Voight's plan by putting a silver plug worth 3/4 of a cent into a copper worth 1/4 cent. Mr Rittenhouse is about to make a few vy mixing the same plug by fusion with the same quantity of copper. He will then make of copper alone of the same size. & lastly he will make the real cent as ordered by Congress. 4 times as big. Specimens of these several ways of making the cent may now be delivered to the Committee of Congress now having the subject before them."
That final "real cent as ordered by Congress. 4 times as big" was the Birch Cent. (The others Judd 1 the silver center cent, and Judd 2 the alloyed copper and silver, and the pure copper. Judd uses the same number for both. there are only two of the alloy pieces known and about 10 of the pure copper ones. The last time a new one was discovered PCGS slabbed it as a Judd 2 but never bothered to weigh it or run a specific gravity on it to find out which type it was.)
The Birch cent is quite rare but there are a few MS pieces known. The one in the auction is one of them. Another is in the Smithsonian. That one was exhibited back in 1993 at a ceremony honoring the 200th anniversary of the US Mint. President Clinton held it up to display it for the cameras held firmly between thumb and forefinger.......and not by the edges. Oh and the coin was NOT in a holder of any kind.
