1791 Colonial Cent Washington Head, Small Eagle PCGS MS64BN Ex.Norweb

The Washington Large and Small Eagle cents were struck precisely to the requirements of the 1791 Senate version of the Coinage Act, suggesting that Hancock did make these for American circulation. Of course, his attempt to become an official contractor failed, and the Senate version was abandoned in favor of the language in the House version of the bill, which became the Mint Act of April 2, 1792. "Upon one side of each of the said coins there shall be all impression or representation of the head of the President of the United States for the time being, with an inscription which shall express the initial or first letter of his Christian or first name, and his surname at length, the succession of the presidency numerically, and the year of the coinage; and upon the reverse of each of the gold and silver coins there shall be the figure or representation of an eagle, with this inscription—'United States of America,' and upon the reverse of each of the copper coins, there shall be an inscription which shall express the denomination of the piece, namely, cent or half cent, as case may require."