The Cents Before the Cent

COLLECTING UNITED STATES copper is a part of our hobby that can take on many forms. Gathering cents from change, or trying to find the one-cent piece of the current year as early in the year as possible is a means of collecting, having fun, and doing it on the cheap.You just end up pulling coins from change. Collecting early large cents will certainly be a more expensive way to build a collection, but may be just as much fun. Trying to assemble a collection of our relatively brief series of 2-cent pieces also holds a certain allure. But what about the coins we might call “the cents before the cents?” What about looking into the field called pre-federal coppers? This too can be both fun and educational.

Before the Constitution

Many Americans can quote the date the Declaration of Independence was signed. Fewer can recite the