(1860s) Die Trial - Fugio Newman QQ, Reverse

Coin Details

Description

This reverse die trial comes from the dies of the so-called New Haven Fugio restrikes. The Fugio cent, designed under the authority of the Continental Congress, features a sun dial on the obverse with the motto "FUGIO" (Latin for "I fly," referring to time) and "MIND YOUR BUSINESS," while the reverse displays a chain of thirteen links representing the united states with the legend "WE ARE ONE" in the center. The Newman QQ designation comes from Eric P. Newman's exhaustive scholarly work on Fugio cents, in which he cataloged every known die variety using letter pairs. Newman's research, published in his studies, established the definitive classification system for Fugio cent dies and identified numerous restrike and die trial impressions made from the original dies decades after their initial use. Newman later concluded that the New Haven pieces came from new dies made about 1859, not from the dies of 1787. The survival of Fugio cent dies into the 19th century — and their use for collector pieces — reflects the growing appreciation for early American numismatic artifacts during the Civil War era, when interest in the nation's founding history surged.

Cross References

Newman QQ (Eric P. Newman Fugio cent classification)