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If your like me when you
hear the word cent, you think of one cent, a penny.
Well the Abraham Lincoln penny that we know well
is not the only American coin that has the value
of one cent or one part of a dollar. The first
American Cent is no refereed to as a large cent
because it is so much larger than the penny that
is currently in circulation.
When the United Stated
government decided to produce a one cent coin,
they figured that it should weight exactly twice
as much as a half cent.
This made the coin rather large by today's standards.
The Large cent was minted
from pure copper and it's weight, diameter and
edge design all vary. It was produced in 1793
until 1857. There is one missing year due to a
copper shortage and that year was 1815. All Large
Cents were minted in Philadelphia.
Proof large cents were
made but they are extremely rare. If you are lucky
you might have a proof large cent in your collection,
if you don't keep your eyes open for one. Chances
are it will not be cheap!
Just like most coins there
were quite a few Large Cent variations. Any Large
cent is a great addition to your collection. Here
are the Variations.
- 1793 Chain
Cent
- 1793 Wreath
Cent
- Liberty
Cap Large Cent 1793-1796
- Draped Bust Large Cent 1796-1807
- Classic Head Large Cent 1808-1814
- Liberty Head Large Cent 1816-1857
- Matron Head Large Cent 1816-1836
- Matron Head Modified Large Cent 1837-1839
- Braided Hair Large Cent 1839-1857
As a coin collector any
Large cent would be great for your collection
but here are some key dates.
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1853 Large Cent
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1820 Large Cent
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