1787 Fugio Cent - Club Rays, FUCIO

Coin Details

Description

Bearing the most famous spelling error in colonial American numismatics, this 1787 Fugio cent combines the Club Rays obverse with the legendary misspelling "FUCIO" — where the die sinker engraved a C instead of a G, transforming the Latin FUGIO ("I fly") into nonsensical FUCIO. This blunder, permanently preserved in die steel, has made the variety one of the most recognized and sought-after colonial coins, commanding significant premiums due to both rarity and fame. The Club Rays obverse features thick, blunt sundial rays with the misspelled inscription, date 1787, and MIND YOUR BUSINESS. The reverse presents thirteen chain links with WE ARE ONE. The die sinker responsible remains unidentified, but the error reveals the hand-engraved nature of each die — working in reverse (mirror image), confusing G and C is understandable given their similar shapes when cutting in intaglio. Authorized by Congress on April 21, 1787, and produced under James Jarvis's contract at New Haven in copper. The FUCIO variety is rare and highly popular, comparable in fame to the most notable errors in the federal series. Collectors prize it for inherent scarcity and the human story of artisanal die-making it preserves.

Rarity Notes

Rare and highly popular. The FUCIO misspelling is one of the most famous errors in colonial coinage.

Cross References

Newman; Club Rays FUCIO misspelling variety