Braided Hair Large Cent (1839-1857)
Mint Mark Information

From its inception in 1793, the large cent was an object of public ridicule. The one cent denomination was much needed in daily commerce, but Lady Liberty herself never gained aesthetic appreciation despite numerous design changes over the years.

Mint Engraver Christian Gobrecht was challenged with coming up with something better. In 1835 he gave Liberty a youthful facelift, and for the next four years, developed modifications on this theme. Gobrecht’s designs of 1835-39 are generally lumped with the Liberty Head Large Cents group.

Later in 1839, Gobrecht came out with yet another variety, which numismatists today call the Braided Hair Large Cent.

People were more approving of Liberty, but the clunky size of the large cent, always unpopular, grew evermore so.

In 1849, the government began conducting studies on the feasibility of a smaller one cent coin. Experimental pattern coins were produced the following year and continued for some time.

On February 21, 1857, a new law was enacted to replace the large cent with a smaller diameter coin. The half cent was fully discontinued. The design of the new small cent featured a flying eagle (modeled after the Gobrecht Dollar, and first struck in 1856 as a pattern). Within a short period of time, the large cent and its half cent cousin disappeared forever from the American scene.

Braided Hair Large Cent Obverse

Braided Hair Large Cent
Reverse

The following table indicates there are no Mint Marks to be found on the Braided Hair Large Cent:

Braided Hair Large Cents were issued solely from the Philadelphia Mint, which did not use a Mint Mark in those years (in fact, the first time the "P" Mint Mark was seen was 1942!). At the time of the Braided Hair Cent, the US branch mints in New Orleans, Charlotte, and Dahlonega were open, but no one cent coins were struck at these facilities. The Braided Hair Large Cent is pictured at right, courtesy of Goldberg Coins.

There are no rare dates in the Braided Hair Large Cent series. This doesn't mean collectors don't like them, however. In reviewing their availability, even Uncirculated examples can be had without breaking your budget. Should you purchase one, don't expect to see fantastic price increases in the future (it could happen, but the track record of this series suggests it is not likely to happen). The "View All" link below will isolate all certified Braided Hair Large Cents among the many thousands of coins for sale on eBay.

Braided Hair Large Cents