Liberty Head Large Cent (1816-1839)
Mint Mark Information

The year 1816 marked a momentous occasion at the US Mint. For the first time ever, steam powered machinery was used. Prior to that, all power was supplied by men and horses.

Coinciding with the arrival of steam power was the appearance of the Liberty Head Large Cent. The Classic Head design was discontinued in 1814 because of criticism over Lady Liberty’s male headband.

There were no cents issued in 1815 because the supply of planchets imported from England was interrupted by the War of 1812.

Engraver Robert Scot replaced the headband with a small crown, sometimes called a coronet, inscribed with the word LIBERTY. The reverse remained much the same as its predecessor type.

The Liberty Head Large Cent remained in production until 1839, with many variations. Some coin collectors call them Coronet Cents; others use the term Matron Head Cents because of Liberty’s stern face.

Liberty Head Large Cent Obverse

Liberty Head Large Cent
Reverse

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

The Philadelphia Mint was the only place where Liberty Head Large Cents were struck, so there are no Mint Marks to search for. Branch mints were opened in 1838, but did not issue any cents of this group. The coin photos at right were provided by courtesy of Goldberg Coins.

There are plenty of Liberty Head Large Cents to go around. No dates in the series are particularly rare, although the 1823 is a bit of a challenge. Even high grade Uncirculated specimens can still be had at reasonable prices. The "View All" link below will bring up all Liberty Head Large Cents for sale on the eBay coin universe.

Liberty Head Large Cents