1795 Talbot Allum & Lee - Lettered Edge Cent

Coin Details

Description

Issued by the New York mercantile firm of Talbot, Allum & Lee, this 1795 copper cent with lettered edge is cataloged as Whitman 8620 and Breen 1037 (PCGS #640). Struck at 10.5 grams with a 29 mm diameter, the edge inscription distinguishes this from plain and twin leaf edge versions. The obverse depicts standing Commerce with the firm's name and date 1795; the reverse shows a merchant sailing vessel referencing the company's New York-to-East-Indies trade. Produced at the Boulton & Watt Soho Mint in Birmingham, England, these tokens utilized the most advanced steam-powered coining technology — the same facility that later produced Britain's first reformed pennies. The lettered edge variety is common for the series, making it the most accessible version for collectors. These pieces circulated as unofficial cents in New York when the Philadelphia Mint could not produce sufficient copper coinage. Talbot, Allum & Lee tokens are notable for superior production quality, and the lettered edge reflects an aspiration toward official coinage standards.

Rarity Notes

Common for the series.

Cross References

Whitman 8620; Breen 1037