Artistry and Technology—How the Large Cent Dies Were Made

Instructor: Bill Eckberg

This talk uses image analysis of early U.S. copper coins to show how the engravers produced the large-cent dies. The U.S. Mint was an entirely new undertaking in 1792. Nobody who worked there during that time had any meaningful experience with coinage, and the technology they had was at least a century out of date in Europe. The coins tell us a great deal about how they were made; all we must do is listen to them.