1792 Cent Washington Getz, Small Eagle Colonial PCGS MS Genuine

Here is a more affordable example of a desirable early federal pattern from before the establishment of our national mint in Philadelphia.

The United States Constitution was ratified in 1788, and the first Congress assembled in 1789. President Washington supported the creation of a federal mint; however, progress was delayed until 1791. Senator Robert Morris introduced a bill on Dec. 21 of that year that would place the portrait of President Washington on U.S. coinage. Patterns carrying his portrait were produced by Peter Getz of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Ron Guth writes, “In 1792, Peter Getz created silver and copper coins bearing the portrait of George Washington. Various writers have called this a pattern coinage or an attempt by Getz to obtain either a contract coinage or employment at the about-to-be-established U.S. Mint. The copper pieces vary widely in weight and diameter. … Getz's 1792 Washington Cent can be found on broad, thin planchets, narrow, thick planchets, or variants of the two.”

Here's an example of this pattern graded MS64BN by PCGS. Photo: PCGS Coinfacts.