1961 Bashlow Copper CSA Restrike Obverse Trial Hub Cent

Coin Details

Description

The 1961 Bashlow Confederate Cent Obverse Hub Trial in copper represents a technical artifact from Robert Bashlow’s restrike production process. Hub trials are test impressions made during the preparation of working dies, struck to verify that the hub — the master positive from which working dies are created — has been properly produced. This piece shows only the obverse design of Lovett’s Confederate cent, featuring the French-inspired Liberty head surrounded by 13 stars. Hub trials occupy a unique position in numismatic collecting as they document the die-making process itself rather than representing finished coins. The obverse hub trial in copper would have been struck early in Bashlow’s production sequence as he prepared his transfer dies for the main restrike run. The single-sided impression allows examination of the obverse design in isolation, revealing details of Lovett’s Liberty portrait and star arrangement without the visual competition of the reverse design. As a production artifact rather than a finished restrike, the obverse hub trial was produced in very small numbers — only as many as needed to verify die quality before proceeding with two-sided production strikes. This makes hub trials among the scarcer pieces in the Bashlow Confederate cent series, prized by collectors who appreciate the technical aspects of coin production.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Hub trials were produced in very small numbers as production test pieces. They are significantly scarcer than the finished two-sided Bashlow restrikes in any metal.

Cross References

NGC #886012