New York 1 cent

1794

Place made, eitherBirmingham, England

Copper

Overall (diameter): 1 1/8 in. (28mm)

INV.13892a

In 1794 William Talbot, William Allum, and James Lee, joined into a partnership to open an East India trading company in New York City. At that time they commissioned Peter Kempson's mint in Birmingham, England to produce at least two tons of copper tokens for the firm. These tokens, probably designed by Thomas Wyon, bear the dates 1794 and 1795 and were designated as cents with an average weight just about the same as a regal British halfpenny. This was the first American merchant token produced on a large scale. They were intended for use as One Cent pieces in their business.

DescriptionDie struck copper tokens; obverse depicts standing figure of Liberty holding a staff with a liberty cap, behind her a large parcel implying trade, surrounded by the legend "LIBERTY & COMMERCE" with the date 1794 below; the edge of the coin is struck with the legend "PAYABLE AT THE STORE OF" , the legend is continued on the reverse "TALBOT, ALLUM & LEE / NEW YORK" and below "ONE CENT", the reverse depicts a merchant ship at sea; hole drilled through next to parcel.

Markingsstruck obverse: "LIBERTY & COMMERCE / 1794" struck edge: "PAYABLE AT THE STORE OF" struck reverse: "TALBOT, ALLUM & LEE / NEW YORK / ONE CENT"

ClassificationsCOINS & TOKENS