1852 U.S. Assay Office Cent - Lead Obverse Restrike

Coin Details

Description

This lead obverse restrike from the U.S. Assay Office cent dies represents one of the most unusual artifacts from California’s territorial gold coinage era. The existence of cent-denomination dies at an operation primarily producing large gold denominations raises intriguing questions about the Assay Office’s planned scope of production. The lead composition indicates this is a restrike produced after the original die’s production period, created as a numismatic curiosity or for preservation purposes. Lead was commonly used for making impressions of dies in the 19th century because it was soft enough to receive a full impression with minimal pressure. Whether the U.S. Assay Office ever intended to produce copper cents for California circulation or these dies were experimental remains a subject of numismatic inquiry. The piece provides valuable documentary evidence about the full range of dies that existed at the Assay Office facility.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Lead restrikes from Assay Office dies are virtually undocumented. This is among the most obscure California territorial pieces.

Cross References

NGC #31111; U.S. Assay Office, San Francisco; lead obverse restrike of cent dies