This might be one of the most beautiful Two Cent Pieces I've ever come across
WingedLiberty1957
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1869 Two Cent Piece (PCGS PR65BN). Just nabbed this Proof Two Cent Piece on Sunday. It might be one of the most beautiful Two Centers I've ever come across. The Two Cent Piece was the first U.S. Coin to carry the motto "In God We Trust", which first started on U.S. coinage in 1864 during the final years of the Civil War. However not all U.S. coins carried that motto until 1938, after the Buffalo Nickel ended its run.
The Shield design on the obverse (by Longacre) was modeled after the Great Seal of the United States. The vertical lines (6 lines and 7 spaces) in the bottom part of the shield represent the 13 original colonies -- and the horizontal lines at the top of the shield represent the Federal Government (Congress). So together it's supposed to symbolize the strength of our nation. The crossed arrows represent nonaggression, but imply readiness against attack. The laurel branches, taken from Greek tradition, symbolize victory. The vertical lines were supposed to represent red, clear areas white and horizontal lines blue, thus the shield is (in theory) colored red, white and blue and is meant to evoke the American flag.
The coin was not very popular with the masses, which led to its short run (only 10 years total) and steadily falling mintage totals every year. All Two Cent Pieces were produced at the Philadelphia mint, therefore no mintmarks are found.
Two Cent Piece (Mintage Totals)
The Shield design on the obverse (by Longacre) was modeled after the Great Seal of the United States. The vertical lines (6 lines and 7 spaces) in the bottom part of the shield represent the 13 original colonies -- and the horizontal lines at the top of the shield represent the Federal Government (Congress). So together it's supposed to symbolize the strength of our nation. The crossed arrows represent nonaggression, but imply readiness against attack. The laurel branches, taken from Greek tradition, symbolize victory. The vertical lines were supposed to represent red, clear areas white and horizontal lines blue, thus the shield is (in theory) colored red, white and blue and is meant to evoke the American flag.
The coin was not very popular with the masses, which led to its short run (only 10 years total) and steadily falling mintage totals every year. All Two Cent Pieces were produced at the Philadelphia mint, therefore no mintmarks are found.
Two Cent Piece (Mintage Totals)
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Comments
I've always liked two-centers.
Stunningly beautiful coin!
Hard to imagine a prettier one.
Wow.......
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Those PR66's from the 1800's are tough and rare. I wonder if perhaps it's because Proofs were so cheap to acquire, they weren't taken care of as well. They might have been considered sort of a mundane quantity -- and perhaps tossed in cabinets and the like. (what's that old term "Cabinet Friction"?). I like the PR65 level for proofs from the 1800's as they are cheaper and sometimes look just as nice as their much more expensive PR66 and PR67 brethren. You usually can't see the flaws on PR65's until you blow them up the size of dinner plates (the wonders of digital photography) as above.
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Cheers
Bob
Thank you for the history around the two cent piece, and congratulations on the nice addition.
BAmorgan
Congrats on the addition.
Mike
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I absolutely love the proof. Great pickup!
It's a perfect fit for your Color of Money Set.
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when I lived there.. Congratulations.... Cheers, RickO
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I enjoyed viewing them and reading the write-up by the OP.
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I have just a single two-cent piece, the most attractive one I had seen a couple years ago --
This one get the big Chuck thumbs up !!