Drachmas Doubloons and Dollars: The History of Money
(Exhibition Home)
Early America
Introduction
Colonial America - The Continental Currency and State Coinage - Experiments of the Confederation Period - George Washington - Coin Patterns of 1792 - Early U.S. Cents - Early U.S. Silver and Gold
Coin Patterns of 1792

When Congress officially established the U.S. Mint in 1792, engravers with varying degrees of skill submitted new designs for American coinage. The patterns shown here were never produced as circulating coins.
U.S. pewter quarter dollar pattern by Joseph Wright, depicting Liberty.
U.S. copper cent pattern by William R. Birch, designed to have a silver plug added to bring the metal value up to 1 cent.
U.S. silver half dime pattern probably by William R. Birch, depicting liberty. The inscription translates as "Liberty: Parent of Science and Industry."