THE LARGE CENT, 1793–1857

IN THE 1850S COIN COLLECTING first took hold as a popular pastime among the general public and has remained with us since that time. But what started this first boom in obtaining coins for a collection?

Prior to about 1857 there were, of course, coin collectors in this country. This hobby extends back into Colonial days but it was not until the demise of the old large copper cent (which was changed into the copper-nickel Flying Eagle cent) that public fancy turned towards a closer look at the copper cent pieces.

The last copper cents were struck in early 1857; by the late summer of that year Flying Eagle cents were everywhere and the handwriting was on the wall for the bulky copper coins. This prompted many people to begin looking at their pocket change more carefully and it was not long before young and old alike began to put together date sets.

Coins stayed in circulation in those days much longer than at present so it was possible to find many of the earlier dates (pre-1816) in accumulations of such coins. Even coins from the 1790s occasionally showed up, though usually well worn. Collectors began to search out other numismatists to trade a duplicate date for another which they did not have. Within a short time professional dealers