Bar Copper Cent – 1785

The Bar Copper Cent- An Undated Cent Shrouded in Mystery

The Bar Cent is undated and there is only speculation about its origins. The United States, just after the Revolutionary War, was at a loss for small coinage. The United States Mint wouldn’t be established until 7 years later so the British merchants took advantage of the colonies that had just defeated their mighty army and a number of British private minters created a coinage that they could sell to the colonies or it would be used there.

 One such private minter was George Wyon of Birmingham, England. Wyon recognized the need for coinage and coupled with a request from an unknown New York merchant, he set about to design a coin for use in the new American nation. Wyon was inspired by the buttons of the Continental Army and designed a copper coin that looked remarkably similar.

The obverse of the coin displayed the interlocking letter of “USA” and the reverse had 13 horizontal bars running the length of the coin. Simplicity at its best. It was undated and no denomination was required on a copper coin of that size.

Even though the coins are undated, the date of their manufacture and first use is attributed to 1785. The newspaper the New Jersey Gazette reported on November 12, 1785, that an influx of new copper coins was circulating within New York. The news described the coin’s remarkable similarity to Continental Army soldiers’ buttons. One major difference on the buttons was that the “USA” letters are all of the same height, while on the coins, the “S” was dramatically larger than the “U” and the “A”.

The coins were atypical in that they bore no date or denomination and although they traded as “Cents” in commerce, they were much closer in size and weight to British Halfpennies.

The numbers of coins struck and shipped to New York are not known but it is estimated that only approximately about 200 – 250 coins still survive. The majority of these coins are well circulated but a few dozen Mint State examples do exist, including three certified specimens in MS66 grade.

John Bolen was a die sinker and medallist from New York and he not only created original historical and political medals, he also created realistic copies of a number of colonial coins, including the Bar Cent. His copy is a faithful reproduction with one exception. On original Bar Cents, on the obverse, the “A” is on top of the “S” where they intersect. On Bolen’s copies, the “S” is on top of the “A.”

Later into the 19^th century, Bolen’s dies changed hands several times with multiple people striking additional copies. There is an additional way to discern an original Bar Cent from a copy. The other distinct feature of all genuine Bar Cents is a small thorn-like protrusion coming from one of the reverse bars.

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