The Birch cent. This is former Seavey (1873 Descriptive Catalog #843), Parmelee, Brand, Norweb example and was donated by Stacks to the Smithsonian Institution in 1993. The scratch on the face is visible on the Seavey plate. It was apparently sold by Parmelee after he purchased a finer example in the 1882 Bushnell sale. This design exists as follows: Plain edge J3/P4 - there are two examples known both in Uncirculated grade, Dr. Judd's and the former Charles Jay-Laird Park coin. One of these, probably Judd's, is ex William H. Smith (Haseltine's 83rd sale in 1885), Parmelee, DeWitt Smith, Brand. The other was in the W.S. Appleton collection. Lettered edge: TO BE ESTEEMED * BE USEFUL * J4/P5 - this is the most common variety with about 10 known. The finest of these, gem Uncirculated, is the former Ellsworth, Garrett coin which sold for $200,000 in Bowers and Ruddy's Garrett IV sale. Lettered edge: TO BE ESTEEMED BE USEFUL * J5/P6 - only two examples are known, the Norweb coin and a very worn example ex Loye Lauder which is in the David Queller collection. An article by Carl W.A. Carlson in the March 1992 edition of the Numismatist describes the obverse die as being the same one as used to strike the famous G*W.Pt. cent J6/P3 after extensive reworking. For additional historical information on 1792 coinage, click here. Photo courtesy of the National Numismatic Collection of the Smithsonian Institution.