Liberty’s Bust on the Judd-9 Silver Disme was used for the 1793 half cent?

Found the attached article very interesting, both for its methodology (first use of XRD coin imagining) and its conclusions-so passing along.

History Recovered: Saga of the 1792 Silver Disme, Robert L. Rodriguez, Anthony J. Lopez; 2023.

Article is a bit long – 56 pages. Conclusions:

"CONCLUSIONS AND FINAL THOUGHTS

After more than four years of research and scientific investigations at three different laboratories that culminated in the use of the most advanced and groundbreaking scientific instrument ever employed in numismatics, the Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source synchrotron, as part of the new field of Cultural Heritage Research, we conclude this Judd-9 F15 NGC is THE Design Work Surface for the 1793 half cent. All elements for the new half cent are appropriately delineated on each side. We believe it and the Judd-9a are the only known surviving DWS artifacts that exist from the first US Mint, and, as such, they are of immense historical numismatic importance, in our opinion.

Our primary conclusion and speculations are supported by the following discoveries:

1) The photo imaging overlay analysis proved that Liberty’s bust on the Judd-9 silver disme is exactly that which was used for the 1793 half cent.

2) The photo overlay analysis proved that VR1 and VR2 are the key reference lines that were used to reposition the bust of Liberty and the hair crop for the half cent.

3) The recovery of “L • J” was an important discovery, along with identifying that the “J” or “Justice” was to be eliminated, which shortened the legend from “Liberty • Justice” to “Liberty.” Additionally, 1792 pattern coinage designs had made the shift from Latin to English for the new coinage of the United States of America.

4) With the legend now shortened to “Liberty,” this modification allowed sufficient room to accommodate the addition of a Pileus.

5) The reverse scan imaging recovered a “W” that we view as shorthand for “wreath” and that “I : II” is also a shorthand abbreviation of the “1/200” used on the half cent for its denomination.

6) We also believe our obverse design flow and reverse design identifications provide new information that was heretofore unknown, given that little historical information remains from the first mint of the United States.

7) We identified a potential linkage between the 1792 silver disme and the 1783 Nova Constellatio decimal pattern coins, given their font style similarities; as such, this coin could be the “bridge” coin between this coinage and the first federal coinage of 1793.

8) We do understand our view that Adam Eckfeldt was the designer of the half cent via this disme will create controversy. However, the likely representation of Maria Hahn by “M” and “E” for Eckfeldt on both sides of the coin and that their marriage was within one week of the founding of the new mint, lends support to our view, given this new information."