Birch Half Disme 1792 Coin Guide
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Birch Half Disme 1792
Born of the idea that man's destiny was largely the result of his own
effort and imagination, the United States of 1792 had grown to fourteen
states with the addition, in 1791, of Vermont. The army, of about 5,000
men, was fighting Indians in the Northwest Territory. The nation had no
navy and paid an annual tribute to the Barbary Pirates. The migration West
had begun.
Due to the longstanding trade relationships with the Spanish
possessions of Florida and Louisiana, Spanish silver pieces were the most
common silver coins in circulation, followed by the English shillings and
pence of the mother country. Because of the incompatibility of the Spanish
and English monetary systems, the conduct of business, trade and everyday
life was burdened with the need for intricate conversion tables. Accounts
were, of necessity, kept both in English pounds and Spanish reales.
Confusion was immense, and action was called for.
The need for a rational system for United States coinage received the
early attention of Congress. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and
Alexander Hamilton all strongly favored adoption of the decimal system.
They argued that the decimal system represented a clean break with the
past and was the most scientific way to reconcile the differences of the
Spanish and English monetary systems.
The decimal system was invented by Simon Stevin van Brugghe (1548-1620)
and first published in a pamphlet, Be Thiende, in 1585. The French
translation was entitled La Disme. Robert Norton's 1608 translation: Disme:
The art of tenths, or, Decimall arithmeticke introduced the idea to
England. It was from these European roots that the concept of tenths, or
"La Disme"-anglicized later to "dime"-immigrated to
America.
A Congressional resolution on July 6, 1785 adopted the dollar as the
monetary unit of the United States. Subsequent resolutions spanning 1786
and 1787 specified weight, fineness and the decimal system for the
relationship of each of the coins authorized. Adoption of the Constitution
on September 17, 1787 reserved the right to coin money and regulate the
value thereof to the Congress. This set the stage for passage of the Mint
Act of April 2, 1792. This Act specified ". . .that the money of
account of the United States shall be expressed in dollars or units,
dismes or tenths, cents or hundredths and that all accounts in the public
offices and all proceedings in the courts of the United States shall be
kept and had in conformity to this regulation."
Events moved swiftly from that point. On April 14, 1792 Washington
appointed David Rittenhouse of Philadelphia, the most renowned scientist
in America, Director of the Mint. Henry Voight, a well known clock maker,
was appointed Acting Chief Coiner on June 1. Mechanics began construction
of the necessary coining apparatus and "engines."
On July 9, 1792 President Washington authorized proceeding with the
coining of half dismes. No time was wasted, as just four days later, on
July 13, 1792, Thomas Jefferson, then Secretary of State, recorded in his
household account book: "rec'd from the mint 1500 half dimes of the
new coinage."
New research suggests that the single pair of dies used for these coins
was designed and engraved by a British medalist, William Russell Birch,
rather than the Robert Birch who was associated with the Mint in those
early years and previously credited with the coin's design. Birch
purportedly used letter punches supplied by Jacob Bay, a Germantown,
Pennsylvania maker of printing types. As the mint building was then under
construction, the coining machinery was in the cellar of John Harper, a
saw maker, at the corner of Cherry and 5th Streets, at which place these
pieces were struck.
The obverse of the half disme portrays the head of Liberty facing left,
with the date 1792 below. The motto LIB. PAR. OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY
encircles the border. The reverse depicts an eagle flying left with the
denomination HALF DISME in two lines, with a five pointed star in the
exergue below. The legend UNI. STATES OF AMERICA frames the eagle.
On April 9, 1844 Dr. Jonas McClintock, a Treasury official, had a
conversation at the Mint with Adam Eckfeldt, the retired Chief Coiner and
only surviving Mint official who was actually present when the half dismes
were made. Eckfeldt related that President Washington deposited $100 in
bullion or specie for the purpose of coining these half dismes. Although
the entire mintage of 1,500 was presented to Jefferson by Mint Director
Rittenhouse, he obviously passed some on, for they were used by General
Washington as presentation pieces for visiting dignitaries and VIPs. Many
were given to acquaintances in Virginia, and no more were coined.
Scholor Walter Breen estimated that the majority of these coins entered
circulation. About 200-250 are known today, most of them being in low
grades. About 20 uncirculated examples are also included in that figure.
These coins were not fully struck up originally, so that even
uncirculated examples will not show full breast or leg feathers on the
eagle. The hair curls above and below Liberty's ear will also be partly
flat. Adjustment marks are common and should not be considered a defect.
The 1792 half dismes are generally collected as patterns and are
classified as Judd-7. Cast counterfeits are known, and these can be
identified by being heavier than authorized and having vertical rather
than diagonally reeded edges.
President Washington, in his fourth Annual Address to Congress,
November 6, 1792, spoke of "a small beginning in the coinage of half
dismes, the want of small coins in circulation calling the first attention
to them." A small beginning perhaps, but of great national
significance, as the prerogative to coin precious metals has historically
been an expression of national sovereignty. A period painting by John Ward
Dunsmore of New York portrays General and Mrs. Washington, Alexander
Hamilton and wife, Thomas Jefferson, David Rittenhouse, Tobias Lear, Henry
Voight and Adam Eckfeldt inspecting these first coins.
Because of this historic context, these diminutive pieces are among the
most prized of American silver coins. As the prototype five-cent piece,
the half disme was replaced in 1794 by the first regular issue half dime,
the Flowing Hair type.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Diameter: 17.5 millimeters Weight: 1.35 grams Composition: .8924
silver, .1076 copper Edge: Diagonally reeded. Net Weight: .03873 ounce
pure silver
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Breen, Walter, Walter Breen's Complete
Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, F.C.I. Press/Doubleday, New York,
1988. Taxay, Don, The U.S. Mint and Coinage, Arco Publishing Co., New
York, 1966. Judd, J. Hewitt M.D., United States Pattern, Experimental and
Trial Pieces, 7th Edition, Western Publishing Co., Racine, WI, 1982.
Pollock, Andrew W. III, United States Patterns and Related Issues, Bowers
& Merena Galleries, Wolfeboro, NH, 1994. Valentine, D.W., The United
States Half Dimes, American Numismatic Society, New York, 1931. Stewart,
Frank, History of the First United States Mint, Frank H. Stewart Electric
Company, Philadelphia, 1924.
Coin Information Provided Courtesy NGC.
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