12 Stars, 13 Stars, 15 Stars - Significance?

UncleJoe

1828 Half-Cent 12 and 13 stars, 1817 Large Cent 13 and 15 stars.

I can guess what the 13 stars represent but does anyone know the significance behind the 12 and 15 star versions?

Joe.

nwcs

Blurry vision or a little alcohol

XpipedreamR

<< <i>Blurry vision or a little alcohol >>




More than a little alcohol, I'd say.

Jamericon

The 12 star is a die-engraving error I believe.

The 15 star is left over from when the mint was going to add a star for each new state. They quickly abandoned that for obvious reasons.

Conder101

On the two issues mentioned both the 12 and the 15 star are "engraving" errors where the wrong number of stars were punched into the die. In the case of the half cent the stars were punched to far apart and they ran out of room for the 13th star. On the 1817 cent the stars were punched too close together and after they had 13 stars punched there was too much open room so Scot punched in two more stars.

On the very early coins 15 and 16 star coins WERE the result of adding another star for each state, but they realized they couldn't keep that up and there standardized the number at 13. 1796 was the last year for the extra stars until the twentieth century.