US Large Cent Liberty Head 1816 to 1857

These big and bold coins come from a time when a cent was *worth* something! They are avidly collected by 'early Amerian copper' enthusiasts. There are minor differences in the portrait of Miss Liberty, with designations as follows:

MATRON HEAD: 1816 to 1835
YOUNG HEAD: 1835 to 1839
BRAIDED HAIR: 1839 to 1857

There are also many numismatic (coin collector) twists and turns in the series. For instance, an '1839 over 1836 with plain cords' specimen catalogs well over $200, even in worn condition. If you have a nice looking large cent and want to find an accurate value, get a coin catalog and research precisely what you have. It may be VERY MUCH worth your while! CoinQuest presents only general, very approximate, values and does not address special variations at all.

Most large cents fall in the range of $20 to $200 US dollars, depending on condition. Condition means a lot when it comes to large cents. The less wear, the better the value, but spots, stains, dark surfaces, nicks, gouges, and cleanings detract from value.

NEVER CLEAN A COIN. CLEANING RUINS VALUE

You can't improve a coin's condition by cleaning it. Very rough guidance on value is:

worn: $20 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $70
well preserved: $150
fully uncirculated: $300
Coins dated 1821, 1823, and 1857 are more rare, multiply these values by 3

Be sure you understand what my word 'catalog' means. See the Terminology page for a detailed explanation about how to interpret catalog values.
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