Hauptmann Trial Penny...but dated 1917

[Simon68]

Never seen them before but a Hauptmann Trial Penny is normally dated 1934, relating to the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann suspected of kidnapping and killing Charles Lindbergh's child and tried in Flemington, NJ and is usually a Lincoln penny.

However I have come into possession of one dated 1917.

Is this an error, a rarity etc and would it have any value to a collector?

Regards, thank you in advance for any info you can give.

Simon

[brandm24]

I just came across this thread and found some answers when I looked around a bit.

These coins were pressed by a New Yotk numismatist named Louis S Werner as a means of making some money to support his family during the Great Depression. He created a portable press that gave him the ability to cap Lincoln cents with an embossed copper shell. He called the finished product "Novel Cents."

He made eight different dies depicting various notable events or people of note. While in attendance at a particular event he set up at a convenient location and sold them as they were made. At times he had young boys peddle them on street corners for 5 cents each or three for a dime.

It's estimated that Werner pressed at least 25, 000 examples of all varieties, mostly on 1934 or 1935 Lincoln cents. There are others known on different dated cents (1917 and 1925) and a few on foreign coins. The auction records I've seen suggest a value of 25 to $45.

Hopefully, Simon will see my post although he hasn't been seen here in some time. This is an interesting series of coins that I hadn't heard of until now.

Bruce

[Simon68]

Hi brandm24,

Thank you for the reply, I have just seen it.

A great piece of history and background to these, thank you for digging it out.

The token is available if anyone is interested in it.

Regards Simon

[brandm24]

No problem, Simon. I love to research these things.

On the odd date coins, those other than 1934, I saw a picture of an example on a 1925 cent. Although several sources  mention Werner using 1934 AND 1935 cents, I didn't see a mention of any 1935's in auction records or elsewhere. I would like to know what foreign coins he capped, but I didn't come across any of those either.

Thanks for bringing these interesting coins to our attention here on WoC, Simon. Very much appreciated.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

These coins were pressed by a New York numismatist named Louis S Warner as a means of making some money to support his family during the Great Depression. He created a portable press ... He made eight different dies ... he set up at a convenient location ...

I am very impressed. Mr. Warner seems to have been a resourceful man of considerable energy with an amazing number of skills. His story gives these capped coins depth. I am reminded of enterprising Poles, driving their rickety minivans to China and back, doing all the repairs themselves and selling cheap Chinese trinkets on Polish street markets when the Polish economy was dead in the water after the collapse of communism. Unsung people like Mr. Warner have an importance beyond their accomplishments.

Peter

[brandm24]

These are some of Werner's other novel cents. I was curious about the foreign coins he'd capped and found that he had made a Lord's Prayer piece on both a Canada and Panama cent...others probably, but these are the only two I came across.

Bruce

Images courtesy of Charmy Harker

[brandm24]

Lewis Werner donated his capping press to the ANA along with a complete set of his coins. Here's a photo courtey of the ANA.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

 

We got six in this thread. Let's see if we can get the last two also!

Peter

[brandm24]

I think there were three varieties of the Santa Claus token, so that would make the eight. BTW, the Joe Louis cent is the rarest one.

Bruce

[FosseWay]

I presume that the foreign coins used would be limited to those of the same size as the US cent. The Canadian and Panamanian cents have been mentioned - are there others from the right time period?

[brandm24]

I presume that the foreign coins used would be limited to those of the same size as the US cent. The Canadian and Panamanian cents have been mentioned - are there others from the right time period?

As far as I know Werner only capped Lincoln cents so any non-US coins would have to be the same size. He must have come across the Panamanian coin mixed in with a batch of Lincolns he bought for his work. The Canadian would have been available from circulation. I've seen them in change many times over the years...still do here and there.

I'm not sure what else he could have used that would fit his punch.

Bruce