1787' Fugio Cent - Uniface Restrike Over Struck

Coin Details

Description

Documenting the resourceful and sometimes chaotic practices of nineteenth-century numismatic restrike production, this uniface Fugio cent restrike was struck over a previously struck coin, leaving traces of the underlying host design visible beneath the Fugio impression. Referenced in the Newman catalog, this piece shows only one side of the Fugio cent design — either the sundial obverse or the chain-link reverse — as it was produced from a single die rather than a matched pair. The overstrike substrate adds significant numismatic interest because the remnants of the original host coin's design provide evidence of which previously circulating coins were available as planchet material when the restrike was produced. Uniface restrikes were typically created when only one die from a pair survived or was accessible, and the practice of using existing coins as planchets reflects the informal, almost improvisational nature of the restrike operations conducted by collectors, dealers, and die-holders during the mid-to-late 1800s. The original Fugio cent, authorized by the Continental Congress on April 21, 1787, and contracted to James Jarvis for production, featured Benjamin Franklin's distinctive sundial and chain-link designs that carried the mottos FUGIO and MIND YOUR BUSINESS on the obverse and WE ARE ONE linking thirteen chain segments on the reverse. Very rare, overstrikes on previously struck coins are particularly prized because they document both the restrike tradition and the specific host material consumed in the process, creating a layered numismatic artifact with multiple stories embedded in a single piece.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Overstrikes on previously struck coins are particularly interesting.

Cross References

Newman; uniface restrike, overstrike