1792 Birch One Cent Tribute – 2 Troy Ounce – 39mm

Liberty, science, and industry at the beginning of American coinage.

The 1792 Birch One Cent Tribute revisits an early vision for the young republic’s money. Struck in 2 troy ounces of .999 fine silver, this 39mm round pairs Liberty’s flowing-hair portrait with a branch-bordered reverse. The design’s unusually expressive inscription gives it a character all its own: a small statement about what freedom makes possible.

A Design from a Year of Experimentation

The Coinage Act of 1792 established the United States Mint and defined the new nation’s coinage system. Before regular production could begin, patterns allowed the Mint to explore designs, materials, and practical methods of manufacture. The Birch cent belongs to that formative period, when the appearance of American money was still taking shape.

Even the humble cent presented a challenge. The original law called for 264 grains of copper, making a one-cent piece cumbersome for everyday use. Experiments included smaller cents with silver centers, while legislation in January 1793 reduced the prescribed copper weight to 208 grains. The Birch design recalls that brief interval between an ambitious national plan and the coins that would actually enter circulation.

Liberty as the Parent of Progress

“LIBERTY PARENT OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY” surrounds the portrait. Read as a statement of ideals, the inscription links freedom with discovery, invention, and productive work. Rather than naming a ruler, the design places an allegorical Liberty at its center.

The historical design is known as the Birch cent, although the engraver’s full identity is not securely established. This modern tribute celebrates the design itself. Its reverse replaces the original denomination with “TWO OUNCES,” identifying the silver round’s weight within the familiar arrangement of branches and lettering.

Design Details

• Obverse: Liberty faces right with flowing hair, the 1792 date below, and “LIBERTY PARENT OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY” around the circumference.
• Reverse: Two branches tied at their base frame “TWO OUNCES.” “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” surrounds the design, with hallmarks near the branch stems.

Specifications

• Weight: 2 troy ounces
• Metal: .999 fine silver
• Diameter: 39mm
• Thickness: Approximately 6mm
• Edge: Reeded
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated

Explore more designs in our silver round collection.