Silver center cent

The Silver center cent is an American pattern coin[1] produced by the United States Mint in
1792. As a precursor to the large cent it was one of the first coins of the United States and an
early example of a bimetallic coin. Only 12 original examples are known to exist,[2] of which
one is located in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.[3] Two
more specimens (Morris and California) exist but contain fabricated plugs added after
minting.[4]
Due to their rarity and historical significance Silver center cents are highly prized by collectors
with one graded PCGS MS61 being sold in an online auction in April 2012 for $1.15
million.[5][6]
The silver center cent was an early attempt to reduce the size of the cent while maintaining its intrinsic value.

Origins