Owner Comments:
Pictured above is an undated Liberty And Security copper penny, designated Baker 30, and graded MS 64 BN by PCGS. It features nearly pristine surfaces, a notably detailed strike, and pleasing orange brown patina. The piece was consigned to an 11/4/2014 Stacks Bowers auction by The Strong National Museum of Play of Rochester New York, in order to benefit the museum's collection fund. The coin has an interesting provenance. Its traceable chain of ownership starts with John Charles Woodbury, who lived from 1859 to 1937. His family initially accumulated wealth from his father's whip manufacturing business. Upon John's death, this penny passed to his daughter, Margaret Woodbury Strong, an American collector and philanthropist in her own right, who ultimately started the Strong National Museum of Play.
Although the Liberty And Security penny is undated, its production, in large numbers, has been traced to Peter Kempson & Co. of Birmingham, England, that hired Thomas Wyon to engrave the dies, circa 1795. These coins proved very popular in England as part of the Conder series, and were ultimately shipped to America in the hope of securing a contract with the United States Government to produce coinage on its behalf. This objective was doomed to failure because the fledgling US Mint had already come into existence by 1792, and because of George Washington's resistance to having his likeness appear on any coinage, on the basis of it being too monarchical. Previous submissions by Hancock and Getz had suffered a similar fate. The fact that these pieces did see US circulation however, is evidenced by various land finds.
The obverse of the Liberty And Security penny displayed a military bust of George Washington facing left, and surrounded by the words "George Washington". The reverse features an unusual spade-shaped shield containing 15 vertical lines to the left and 15 stars to the right. Perched atop the shield is a heraldic eagle, with spread wings, holding an olive branch in its talons to the viewers left, and a group of arrows in the right talons. The peripheral legend reads: "Liberty and Security". The edge of this particular specimen exhibits the words: "An Asylum For The Opress'd Of All Nations". Other penny varieties have plain edges (rare), or ornamental corded/knurled rims. Some specimens display a fire gild surface produced specifically for collectors; some are made in white medal; and others feature mulings with different designs. There is even a 1795 penny with a different bust facing right, and other distinctive features.
Collectors might also be interested in the related Liberty And Security halfpennies. They were a later imitation of the penny, with different designers from a different mint. They exhibit: a reverse date; a Washington bust facing right; very diverse edge language; and at least two mulings.