Encased Cents
1901 Horseshoe encased cent / Pan-American Expo
The encased cent was the first coin encased. On this page, I'll show a wide variety of encased cents. From large cents to Indian head cents, "Wheaties", memorial cents, and newer shield cents. They may be encased in a variety of materials and shapes, but they will all be ents. I started with the 1901 Pan American encased horseshoe above. There is no way to know what the first encased cent was or where who made it. The current belief is that encased cents were introduced at the Pan American Exposition in 1901.
There are earlier dated encased. But no clear proof when any coin was encased before 1901. With the 1901 Pan Am encased we can be certain why they were made, and roughly when. In some cases, we can also tell who made them. So the first row of encased cents are all from the 1901 Pan AM Expo and are traditional aluminum encased.Encased Cents from Pan American Exposition
These are considereed by many to be the first encased cents. To read about the Pan Am Expo and see more encased coins go Here.
Pan American Exposition EC1b encased cent. Obverse reads: GOOD LUCK SOUVENIR / BUFFALO, N.Y. / PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION
. The cent has the four leaves of the clover surrounding it. Note that the stem of the four-leaf clover curves left on this piece.
Reverse of a Pan American Exposition EC1b encased cent. Reverse reads: LUCKY PENNY / POCKET PIECE /I'M IT
The cent is surrounded by crossed horseshoes.
Pan American Exposition EC02 encased cent. Obverse reads: GOOD LUCK SOUVENIR / BUFFALO, N.Y. / PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION
. The cent has the four leaves of the clover surrounding it. Note that the stem of the four-leaf clover curves right on this piece.
Reverse of a Pan American Exposition EC02 encased cent. Reverse reads: LUCKY PENNY / POCKET PIECE / I'M IT
The cent is surrounded by crossed horseshoes.
EC06 - This is a 1901 Pan Am encased cent. The obverse reads: GOOD LUCK / KEEP ME / AND PROSPER
. There are symbols for horseshoe, four-leaf clover and wishbone.
EC06 - The reverse of the Pan Am cent above. A gloge is on the reverse. Reverse reads: NORTH / CLEVELAND, O / U.S.A. / PAN-AMERICAN SOUVENIR
. an interesting point is that along the bottom edge in tiny letters it says: WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO. NEWARK, N.J.
. very similar to what Earl Fankhauser did with pieces he sold.
EC04 - Obverse 1901 Pan American Souvenir encased cent. Obverse reads: SOUVENIR OF GOOD LUCK /PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION / BUFFALO, N. Y.
tHE CENT IS SURROUNDED BY A HEART.
EC04 - 1901 Pan Am Expo The image is of crossed wishbones, with the legend: LUCKY PENNY / POCKET PIECE
There is the following in small type under the Lucky Penny. PAT. APPLIED FOR
Horseshoes
Then there were the horseshoes! In 1901 they looked like this.
EC51 - Obverse Buffalo running right at the bottom. PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION
Around the edge
EC51 - Reverse: KEEP ME AND NEVER GO BROKE
and AT. APR. 11, 99
in a horseshoe. At the bottom: I BRING GOOD LUCK
The obverse of this 1901 encased cent reads like the reverse of the EC51: KEEP ME AND NEVER GO BROKE
and AT. APR. 11, 99
in a horseshoe. At the bottom: I BRING GOOD LUCK
the difference is that the reverse of the coin is on this side.
The reverse of this piece is NOT similar to the EC51. It has: FARMERS & MECHANICS BANK, ANN ARBOR, MICH. / CAPITAL $ 50,000
And then later they looked like this
1956 D cent. Obverse reads: following a horseshoe around the rim KEEP ME AND / NEVER GO BROKE
at the bottom I BRING / GOOD LUCK
it is holed at the bottom for a chain.
The reverse of the 1956 D cent reads: MICHAEL'S JEWELERS / 7-H STREET , N.W. / WASHINGTON, D.C. / EX.3-5299
holed at the top for a chain. Horseshoes were frequently holed and had chains attached.
1959 D cent. Obverse reads: following a horseshoe around the rim Obverse reads: following a horseshoe around the rim
KEEP ME AND / NEVER GO BROKE
at the bottom I BRING / GOOD LUCK
it is holed at the bottom for a chain.
I BRING / GOOD LUCKit is holed at the top for a chain.
The reverse of the 1959 D reads: EXECUTIVE PHARMACY / 909 PA. AVE. N.W. / WASH, D.C.
Then round ones again except these four have brass encasements.
1933 cent encased in brass. Obverse reads in a horseshoe aroung the rim: KEEP ME AMD NEVER GP BROKE
Reverse of 1933 cent reads: MEMBER OF THE LUCKY COIN CLUB
holed at the bottom of the reverse.
1950 D Brass encasement. The obverse reads: GOOD LUCK / from B•S•F & D
there is a four-leaf clover on either side of the cent. I believe BSF & stands for Bible Study Fellowship and Devotion.
1950 D reverse reads: GOOD LUCK / is 75% the right attitude
1948 D cent. Encasement is 1.25 inches smaller than the typical 1 1/2 inches or 1 1/38 inches diameter. Ovberse reads: ONE GOD / TRUGHT - LOVE - SERVICE
1948 D cent reverse reads: THE KIWANIS CIRCLE - / LIVE THE GOLDEN RULE -
1974 memorial cent reads: KEEP ME AND NEVER GO BROKE
. The cent is oriented so Lincoln is looking out between the ends of the horseshoe at a four-leaf clover.
The reverse side of the 1974 reads: EDWARD HOSPITAL / PUBLIC RELATIONS EXPERT / NAOERVILLE
. I have been a patient at this hospital.
There are cents spread across the site. Be sure to look at all of the pages. There are different shapes, encasements and messages!
Large Cents? Sure
1829 Large cent. Very rough condition, but an interesting piece. It is a business card. It reads: BUTTERNUT ✶ P.O. BOX 498 CLIFTON, VA 20124 ✶
Reverse of 1829 cent encased reads: UNITED STATES CENTS ✶ 1793 - 1857 ✶
1847 large cent encased in stainless steel ring. It reads: WILLIAM MULLER & CO. - CORP. / BUSINESS EST. 1847
Reverse of 1847 large cent encased reads: 99 WATER ST. - BOSTON / ALL KINDS OF INSURANCE
There are far too many "Lucky Cents" to post images of all of them here. There are others spread around the site and some are duplicates.
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