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1864 2-cent coin first U.S. Mint coin to bear religious motto
By Michele Orzano
COIN WORLD Staff
The Civil War brought lots of hardship to citizens on both sides of the conflict. One of those hardships was the lack of sm... Read more
Shield 2 Cents
1864 2-cent coin first U.S. Mint coin to bear religious motto
By Michele Orzano
COIN WORLD Staff
The Civil War brought lots of hardship to citizens on both sides of the conflict. One of those hardships was the lack of small change to transact the daily business of life.
As a solution many merchants in the North began issuing their own privately struck tokens. The federal government did not consider these tokens to be legal tender issues and officials were becoming increasingly concerned about the proliferation of the tokens.
An Act of April 22, 1864, authorized a change in the composition of the 1-cent coin as well as the striking of the 2-cent coins.
Mint Engraver James B. Longacre suggested an obverse design featuring a national shield with stripes in front of two crossed arrows. The shield is flanked by laurel branches. Above the shield is a ribbon designed to bear a legend, several of which were suggested.
Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase approved Longacre's design and chose "In God We Trust" for the motto on the ribbon. The 2-cent coin was the first U.S. coin to bear this motto.
Some say the adopted motto for the coin, the first U.S. coin to carry it, was influenced by "In Deo Speramus" or "In God We Hope," the motto of Brown University, from which Chase was graduated.
But credit for the motto idea is most commonly given to Baptist minister Mark R. Watkinson, who wrote to Chase on Nov. 13, 1861, suggesting that U.S. coins bear some recognition of God. In his letter to Chase, he said such an addition would "relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism."
Chase took the matter under consideration and in a Nov. 20, 1861, letter to the Mint director, Chase stated: "No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition."
Two subtypes exist for the 1864 issues - Small Letters motto and Large Letters motto. Both some early Proofs as well as circulation strikes were struck with the Small Letters die. A new master hub was used for the remainder of the issues of 1864 through 1870. They can be identified by the Large Letters motto, making two major subtypes of the first year of issue to be collected.
About 20 million 2-cent coins were issued in 1864. Production declined to less than 14 million the following year and continued until long after the Civil War. The issue of 1872 was the last of the circulation strikes. About 600 Proof 1873 pieces were struck as part of sets distributed to collectors. The Act of March 3, 1871, authorizing the Mint to redeem and melt 2-cent coins, is another reason for the scarcity of this date.
According to Q. David Bowers' United States Copper Coins, "the rarest date in the 2-cent series is the Proof-only 1873. Rare varieties within the series include the 1864 with small motto, the 1867 with IN GOD WE TRUST doubled, and the very rare 1869/8 overdate. Of the later piece, probably no more than two or three dozen, if indeed that many, exist."
Two-cent coins are collected by dates by some but for others finding a single example from the series is enough to provide a representative type set of U.S. coins.
2-cent |
|
| Date of authorization: | April 22, 1864 |
| Dates of issue: | 1864-1872 |
| Designer/Engraver: | James B. Longacre |
| Diameter: | 23.00 mm/0.91 inch |
| Weight: | 6.22 grams/0.20 ounce |
| Metallic content: | 95% copper, 5% zinc and tin |
| Edge: | Plain |
| Mint mark: | None |
Marketplace
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1864 2C Small Motto MS64 Red and Brown NGC.
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Dealer: Heritage Auctions
Grade: MS-64 -
1864 2C Small Motto MS64+ Red and Brown PCGS.
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Dealer: Heritage Auctions
Grade: MS-64 -
1864 TWO CENT PIECE ~ PCGS MS 64 RB
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Price: $465.00
Dealer: Collectible Coin and Currency
Grade: MS-64 RB -
1866 TWO CENT PIECE ~ PCGS MS 65 RD!! RED!!
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Price: $3,150.00
Dealer: Collectible Coin and Currency
Grade: 65
Public Auctions
| Name | Grade | Price | Date | Firm | Lot Number | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864 2C Large Motto AU55 ANACS. NGC Census: (49/1431). PCGS | AU-55 | $82.00 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 26658 | ANACS |
| 1864 2C Large Motto AU55 PCGS. PCGS | AU-55 | $96.35 | April 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 24536 | PCGS |
| 1865 2C -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. UNC. NGC Census: (0/861). PCGS | MS-60 | $70.00 | January 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 20078 | NGC Details |
| 1865 2C AU50 PCGS. PCGS | AU-50 | $57.00 | April 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 24539 | PCGS |
| 1866 2C -- Cleaned -- ANACS. MS60 Details. NGC Census: (1/178). PCGS | MS-60 | $86.00 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 26660 | ANACS |
| 1866 2C MS63 Red and Brown PCGS. PCGS | MS-63 | $305.50 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 7454 | PCGS |
| 1867 2C Double Die Obverse -- Corroded, Recolored -- ANACS. AU50 Details. Die-1, FS-101. NGC Census: (6/231). PCGS | AU-50 | $94.00 | April 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 7446 | ANACS |
| 1867 2C MS64 Red and Brown PCGS. PCGS | MS-64 | $646.25 | April 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 7448 | PCGS |
| 1868 2C -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. AU. NGC Census: (8/448). PCGS | AU-50 | $84.00 | January 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 20854 | NGC Details |
| 1868 2C AU58 NGC. NGC Census: (20/185). PCGS | AU-58 | $135.13 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 28688 | NGC |
| 1869 2C AU55 NGC. NGC Census: (32/342). PCGS | AU-55 | $105.75 | January 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 20080 | NGC |
| 1869 2C AU58 NGC. NGC Census: (18/155). PCGS | AU-58 | $135.13 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 28074 | NGC |
| 1870 2C -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. AU. NGC Census: (2/148). PCGS | AU-50 | $152.75 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 28689 | NGC Details |
| 1870 2C AU55 NGC. NGC Census: (26/245). PCGS | AU-55 | $199.75 | December 2012 | Heritage Auctions | 22669 | NGC |
| 1871 2C -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. AU. NGC Census: (0/0). PCGS | AU-50 | $182.13 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 28690 | NGC Details |
| 1871 2C -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. AU. NGC Census: (18/484). PCGS | AU-50 | $141.00 | December 2012 | Heritage Auctions | 24046 | Details NGC |
| 1872 2C AU58 PCGS. | AU-58 | $3,055.00 | April 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 1340 | PCGS |
| 1873 2C Closed 3 PR63 Brown NGC. | MS-63 | $2,115.00 | April 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 1348 | NGC |
| 1873 2C Closed 3 PR65 Red and Brown PCGS Secure. | MS-65 | $3,818.75 | February 2013 | Heritage Auctions | 3229 | PCGS |
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Auctions
- 1828 1/2 C 12 Stars -- Obverse Scratched -- NGC Details. AU. C-2. NGC Census: (12/134). PCGS $195
- 1904-O $1 MS64 NGC. NGC Census: (57595/17058). PCGS $94
- 1886 $1 MS64+ NGC. NGC Census: (49332/26028). PCGS $79
- 1899 $1 MS62 NGC. NGC Census: (1058/5967). PCGS $212
- 1879-S $1 MS64 S NGC. NGC Census: (35488/30224). PCGS $112
- 1884-S $1 AU50 NGC. NGC Census: (809/4319). PCGS $200
- 1899-O $1 MS63 NGC. NGC Census: (13734/31104). PCGS $62
- 1837 H10C No Stars, Large Date (Curl Top 1) -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. VG. NGC Census: (1/999). PCGS $36
- 1877-CC 10C XF40 NGC. NGC Census: (1/351). PCGS $106
- 1869-S 10C -- Corrosion-- NGC Details. XF. NGC Census: (0/44). PCGS $40
- 1921-S $1 MS64 NGC. NGC Census: (4894/798). PCGS $98
- 1992-W G$5 Columbus Gold Five Dollar MS70 NGC. NGC Census: (829). PCGS $470
- 1972-S $1 Silver MS66 PCGS. PCGS $34
- 1978 $1 MS66 PCGS. PCGS $142
- 1851-O H10C -- Bent -- NGC Details. VF. NGC Census: (0/100). PCGS $26
- 1900-O $1 MS66 NGC. CAC. NGC Census: (973/71). PCGS $411
- 1838 50C -- Damage -- NGC Details. XF. NGC Census: (45/809). PCGS $100
- 1878-S $1 MS64 NGC. NGC Census: (13869/4449). PCGS $86
- 1888 $1 MS64 NGC. NGC Census: (18057/6630). PCGS $74
- 1881-S $1 MS64 NGC. NGC Census: (90088/70271). PCGS $74
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