1796 Draped Bust Cent - Reverse of 1795 - Draped Bust Large Cent (Reverse of 1795) Reverse Split Die

Description

On the reverse of this 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent — struck to the Reverse of 1795 die pairing — two die cracks have propagated completely from rim to rim, qualifying this piece as a full split die. A split die crack spans the entire diameter of the coin face, leaving a raised ridge of metal where the fractured die separated during striking. The first crack originates just counter-clockwise of the fraction 1/100 and travels through "RICA" of AMERICA before reaching the rim between "E" and "R." A second crack follows a parallel path. The 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent is a transitional issue; Robert Scot's design replaced the Liberty Cap type and this year employed both the Reverse of 1795 and the newer Reverse of 1797. A die crack extends completely across the reverse die from rim to rim, leaving a raised line spanning the full diameter of the coin.