1803 C Mint Error, PCGS F15. Here is a rare error 1803 Half Cent. It is a 20 percent off-centered strike at K-12. The coin is a dark brown with some light highlights, which show its originality. The hair above Libertys forehead and to the left of her eye is worn, but the other hair detail is well defined. The drapery is full and strong. Some doubling shows on the date as well as some of the reverse devices. The vertical and horizontal striation and scuff marks are on the holder not the coin. 

An off-centered coin is the result of it being struck above or out of the collar and only partly between the dies. It is a partial striking with an unstruck area amounting, in this case, to 20 percent of the planchet. Off-centered strikes are measured by the size of the unstruck area. They are listed by the clock position (K-1 through K-12). Most off-center strikes are caused by the failure of the feeder mechanisms which bring the planchets to the collar and deposit them into the collar cavity.

The coin designed by Robert Scot, shows Liberty in profile facing right. Her hair is tied with a ribbon in the back but most of it falls to her shoulder with a curl below the truncation. Each strand of hair ends in a curl. LIBERTY is above and the date is below. The design was based on a drawing by Gilbert Stuart that was first used on some silver dollars of 1795 and later used on cents of 1796 to 1807. The reverse shows an open wreath of laurel tied with a bow. Within the wreath, on two lines, is the denomination, HALF CENT. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the wreath at the periphery. At the bottom, between the ribbon ends is the fraction 1/200.    

Thomas Jefferson chose Scot to be the first Chief Engraver of the United States Mint on November 23, 1793. Scot was born in 1744 in Edinburgh, Scotland or England. (Documentary evidence is lacking as to where he was born.)  He was trained as a watchmaker in England and learned engraving afterwards. He moved to the United States in 1777, where he worked as an engraver of plates, bills of exchange, and office scales. During the Revolution, he was an engraver of paper money. In 1780 he was made the State Engraver of Virginia. He moved to Philadelphia the next year. He was appointed Chief Engraver of the United States Mint on November 23, 1793 by David Rittenhouse, Mint Director. His salary in 1795 was $1,200 per year.

The Mint Director received only $800 dollars per year more. Scots ability to make dies was limited, and in his advanced years he had failing eyesight. His work was somewhat less than that done in Europe at the time, and Scot was criticized for its poor quality. He was responsible for designs of most of Americas first coins. These include the Flowing Hair and the Draped Bust motifs used on early silver coins and the Capped Bust gold coins. Scot also designed the 1794-1797 half-cent, the 1800-1808 draped bust half-cent, and the Thomas Jefferson Indian Peace Medal. He died on November 1, 1823 and was succeeded by William Kneass as Chief Engraver.

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.

This outstanding, rare error coin is perhaps a result of some of the chaos seen in the early Mint. The grading services do not publish population reports on mint errors; however, it is safe to say that this piece is a true rarity for this series.