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Curious on numismatic history.... First US Coin with Real Person?

Started by JakeBlues2-migration,

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JakeBlues2-migration

JakeBlues2-migration

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Hello all---

 

Just pondering 893scratchchin-thumb.gif something today and was curious--what was the first US coin to feature a real person? By real, I mean somebody who actually existed as opposed to an "indian" or "liberty head". Was it the Lincoln penny? Anybody know if there was any "controversy" surrounding the first use of a real person's image on a coin? Just curious on a bit of numismatic history....

 

Thanks!

JakeBlues2 thumbsup2.gif

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truthteller

truthteller

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First colonial coin: Washington 1790 Penny

First pattern US coin: Washington 1866 Nickel

First circulating coin: Lincoln 1909 Cent

First commemorative coin: Columbus, follow next year by Isabella, Queen of Spain.

1892, 1893 50C & 25C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRUTH

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mark

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Truth:

 

One might argue that some of the models who posed for Liberty were real people and so they were the first "real people" on U.S. coins. However, I think the spirit of the question was "who was the first person on a U.S. coin that the public would recognize" and so I think your answer is only 110% ( smile.gif ) correct.

 

Mark

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