A Liberty Seated cent?Yes, Virginia, there issuch a thing. In 1853, theMint got the idea that differentcompositions mightbe used for large cents,and that perhaps the large, heavy coppers could bereplaced with something more manageable. TheMint began experimenting with German silver, acombination of copper, nickel, and zinc. The alloyhas a passable resemblance to silver, but in realitycontains no silver at all. Pattern cents were producedin 1853 and 1854 with varying percentages ofcopper, nickel and zinc. The 1854 edition is the oneof interest to Liberty Seated collectors. The obversefor this pattern was created by reducing an 1854seated dollar via portrait lathe.

The portrait lathe traced the 1854 dollarwith a stylus moving in a circular fashion around thecoin. This design was then transferred onto the patterncent die, with the circular lathe lines impartedas well. In practice, the lathe lines would be polishedout on the die, leaving no trace of the reproduction.In this particular case, the Mint was moreinterested in trying out different alloys, and in hasteneglected the polishing. Even on modern coinage,lathe lines are sometimes seen - I have a 1996-DLincoln cent pulled out of circulation which demonstratesthe effect, although to be sure it is much lesspronounced than on the 1854 cent pattern.

AmongLiberty Seated coinage, the Scott Confederate halfdollar restrikes (executed in 1879 using 1861 halfdollars) frequently come with evidence of lathelines, although this is thought to have occurredwhen Scott ground off the reverses of the coins beforerestriking them with his own reverse (whichwas a reproduction of the Confederate half dollar).

Back to the 1854 cent, these of course nevercaught on, and the Mint decided that a smaller formatpiece in copper would work just as well, and sothe 1856 flying eagle cents were born shortly thereafter.To be sure, the coinage was debased, with asmaller amount of metal representing the same facevalue - governments are good at such things - theLiberty Seated silver coinage, in 1853, had of coursealso been reduced in weight. Nevertheless, the Germansilver experiments of 1853 and 1854 leave uswith a curiosity in the Liberty Seated series, a cointhat tells a story about the technical production of theMint in mid-19th century.

For more information on the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, see:www.lsccweb.org