CALL FOR ASSISTANCE ON 1792: BIRTH OF A NATION'S COINAGE

Len Augsburger, Joel Orosz, and Pete Smith are nearing completion of the manuscript for their new book, 1792: Birth of a Nation's Coinage, to be published by Heritage Auctions. This will comprise the first book-length study of the U.S. Mint's coinage of 1792: silver center cent; fusible alloy cent; Birch cent; half disme; disme; and the undenominated eagle-on-globe pieces. The full story of these great rarities will never be reconstructed, but our study will reveal many previously-unknown facts, and settle a few controversies that have circulated for decades.

The book's first appendix consists of an exhaustive census, with pedigrees where known, and photographs when available, of all of these first attempts to create a coinage for the United States. This census will provide an invaluable tool for catalogers and collectors alike, tracing the ownership of these coins, in some cases, back to the great collectors and dealers of the 19th century, including names such as Mickley, Garrett, Parmelee, Woodward, and Cogan.

Our census has documented a solid majority of the surviving coins of 1792, but we haven't found them all. If you own any of the coins listed above, and have not discussed them with us, we ask you to step forward and place your name into the census (if you choose, we will include pertinent facts about your coin, but keep your identity absolutely confidential). If you do not own any such coins, but know of someone who does, we would be grateful for a referral.

Our goal is to publish the most complete possible census and pedigree as the standard record of the coinage of 1792, and of the collectors/curators who have preserved these national treasures for our delight and edification. We would be very grateful to receive any information about ownership of the coinage of 1792. Please contact Pete Smith at petesmith1793@gmail.com

Thanks very much!