1787 Cent Massachusetts
Strike Type
Coin Details
Description
This is the 1787 Massachusetts cent, with CENT on the eagle's shield. Massachusetts opened its own copper mint under an act of October 17, 1786. In June 1787 the Council set the designs: an Indian with a bow and arrow, a star and COMMONWEALTH, and an eagle bearing a shield marked CENT or HALF CENT, with MASSACHUSETTS and the date. Joshua Wetherle ran the mint, and Crosby credits Joseph Callender with cutting the dies of 1787. PCGS lists under this type the cents with the arrows in the eagle's left talon, the usual arrangement of 1787, attributed to several Ryder die pairs (search). Crosby gives the cents a weight of 146 to 165 grains. PCGS number 302.
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