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1793 was the only year of production for the
Liberty Cap Left Half Cent. The total mintage for the year was 35,334
coins, all produced from July 20 to September 18.
The Miss Liberty obverse design was based on sketches by the first Mint
Director, David Rittenhouse, who was inspired by Augustin
Dupre's beautiful Libertas Americana medal of 1782.
The liberty cap after which this coin is named
may
not be quite so obvious to some observers. Look behind Liberty's head,
and you will see what looks kind of like a stocking cap, sitting atop a
pole (at first glance, the cap sort of resembles a bow in Liberty's
hair!)
The liberty cap (originally called the Phrygian cap) tradition
dates back to ancient times, when liberated slaves wore the conical
shaped headgear to signify their freedom. Over the centuries, the
liberty cap came to symbolize the concept of freedom and the pursuit of
liberty.
During the Revolutionary War era, American colonists foisted the
liberty cap upon a pole to rally the cause of independence. This
concept was later depicted on numerous United States coins.
The 1793 Liberty Cap Half Cent is a true rarity. Very few of them
exist today. Over the course of many decades, its value continues to
rise, far above that of more common dates of lesser numismatic
significance. We can expect more of the same in the coming years.
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