1793 Wreath Cent - 1793 1C Wreath PCGS XF45. 1793 Large Cent, Wreath, Vine and Bars, S-9.  Exceptional details characterize this 1793 Wreath Large Cent. Liberty has a full ear and hair that shows only slight wear. The date is strong and full as is the wreath and the other design details of the reverse. The planchet is hard and glossy, showing no porosity. Its dark brown color proves the coins originality. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other distractions. It is a wonderful, old cent that would enhance any fine collection. 

The S-9 variety is identified by the horizontal stem of the sprig on the obverse, the large round bow on the reverse, and the vine and bars edge. The stem of the sprig is slightly curved and is parallel to the top of the date. On all other Wreath Cent obverses it points downward. On the reverse there are two trefoils on each branch of the wreath, and all four of them are directly in line with the word CENT. The fraction bar is straight and heavy. It rests on the denominator, which is spaced close together. The bow is wide and rounded. 

The Wreath Cent was designed by Henry Voigt. The obverse shows a profile of Liberty looking to the right. Her hair is untied, hence the designation Flowing Hair. LIBERTY is above the portrait and the date is below. Under the truncation and above the date is a sprig of three leaves. The reverse shows a wreath of two olive branches that enclose the denomination written as ONE CENT. The branches are tied at the bottom with a ribbon. Between the ends of the ribbon and the rim is the fraction 1/100. The edge is lettered ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR followed by a double leaf. 

Henry Voigt was the first Chief Coiner for the Mint. His permanent commission was signed by President Washington on January 29, 1793, and he remained in his position until his death in 1814. Voigt was born in Pennsylvania in 1738. During the Seven Years War of 1756 to 1763, his family moved to Saxony Germany, their homeland. When the war was over, he took a position at the Royal Mint of Saxony where he learned how to use all of the machinery and how to make every part himself. He even made improvements to the minting machinery during his time there. He was an ideal candidate to work at the first United States Mint. When he returned to America, he worked as a clockmaker in Philadelphia and became an assistant to David Rittenhouse, a well known watch and clock maker, who became the first Mint Director. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Voigt helped manufacturer gears, guns, and gunlocks for the Continental Army. In 1780 he manufactured wire in Reading, Pennsylvania, and, with his brother Sebastian, once again became a clockmaker. In 1787 he developed a steam engine to power a boat, and he and his brother manufactured steam engines. Both applied for work at the new Mint. Voigt gained the position probably because of his previous association with David Rittenhouse. He became Chief Coiner and Superintendent, the second person in charge. He oversaw the construction of the buildings and the installation of the equipment.

The early Mint in Philadelphia had many challenges. Conditions were poor even at times chaotic. Each of the specialists, the designers, engravers, and press operators were men who had previously worked in other fields. Coin manufacturing was a new trade for them. Production was sporadic. For the new Mint to coin each of the mandated denominations, it took four years. This delay was partly because of inexperience and governmental obstacles. Bonds that were unrealistically high were impediments to engravers working with precious metals. Congress was not united on the need for a government mint since private and foreign coinage seemed to work. Because of the non-existent or low production numbers in the early years of the Mint, foreign copper, silver and gold circulated along with American made coins for many years until they were later demonetized.

Record keeping in the Mints early years was fairly inaccurate. At the end of the eighteenth century Philadelphia had recovered from the British occupation and Revolutionary War. It was the second largest city in the English-speaking world, but it could do nothing to protect its citizens from the mosquito-borne epidemic of yellow fever. Its wealthy citizens went to the countryside to escape, and the poor grimly waited their fate. Of course these annual epidemics caused havoc with all manufacturing that required continuity, such as a coinage sequence. The Mint shut operations during the late summer and early fall every year. In addition to yellow fever, disorder at the Mint was also caused by chronic bullion shortages and coin dies that would wear out and had to be re-engraved because they were not taken out of production until they failed completely. Often dies were locked up and later taken out of storage without great attention and care. There was also a jealous Chief Engraver, Robert Scot, who was in his seventies and had failing eyesight.  

In its population report, PCGS shows 1 1793 Wreath Cent S-9, the present coin, in XF45 condition with 5 higher.