Braided Hair Large Cent Values

How Much Braided Hair Large Cents are Worth: Braided Hair Large Cent Values & Coin Price Chart

YearMintVarietyDesignationVG-8F-12VF-20EF-40AU-50MS-60MS-63MS-64MS-65MS-66
1838(None) Phil--RB----------$500$1,157$2,145$4,400$5,588
1838(None) Phil--RD------------$3,080$8,300$13,200$22,000
1839(None) PhilHead of 1838BN$43$63$102$208$288$533$983$1,745$2,700$6,500
1839(None) PhilSilly HeadBN$40$52$98$273$599$855$1,665$2,600$5,495$9,850
1839(None) PhilSilly HeadRB------------$2,420$3,500$9,300$13,250
1839(None) PhilBooby HeadBN$52$70$150$260$483$833$1,845$3,719$4,825$6,265
1839(None) PhilBooby HeadRB----------$1,000$3,070$3,980$11,700$31,000
1839(None) PhilBooby HeadRD------------$5,000$22,800$33,495--
1839/6(None) Phil--BN$688$1,285$2,730$8,100$18,950------$247,500--
1839(None) PhilType of 1840BN$52$82$99$224$432$990$2,415$5,775$7,800$15,500
1839(None) PhilType of 1840RB----------$1,100$3,013$6,150$12,650$45,000
1839(None) PhilHead of 1838RB----------$700$1,115$2,150$12,325$16,750
1840(None) PhilSmall DateRB----------$1,000$2,650$3,790$13,300--
1840(None) PhilSmall/Large 18RB------------$5,250$9,050$16,800$33,495
1840(None) PhilSmall/Large 18BN$110$137$210$520$1,180$2,695$5,030$8,225$11,475$17,850
1840(None) PhilLarge DateRB------------$1,600$3,638$5,368$11,040
1840(None) PhilSmall DateBN$35$58$84$184$401$885$1,330$1,915$3,505$6,780
1840(None) PhilLarge DateRD------------$4,000$11,995$22,700--
1840(None) PhilLarge DateBN$31$45$87$167$289$728$1,225$2,080$2,910$7,775
1841(None) Phil--BN$50$80$118$165$260$785$1,483$1,978$3,750$5,625
1841(None) Phil--RB------------$2,625$4,175$7,550$12,700
1841(None) Phil--RD--------------$9,175----
1842(None) PhilSmall DateRD--------------$27,375$72,500--
1842(None) PhilSmall DateRB------------$1,800$3,415$6,000$13,425
1842(None) PhilSmall DateBN$35$47$90$152$282$603$1,375$2,270$3,915--
1842(None) PhilLarge DateRD--------------$7,375$31,000--
1842(None) PhilLarge DateRB----------$665$1,300$2,785$4,738$8,025
1842(None) PhilLarge DateBN$29.60$39$50$112$260$625$1,245$2,229$2,730$6,200
1843(None) PhilPetite Head, Small LettersBN$29.60$43$70$114$229$588$1,118$2,053$4,230$8,025
1843(None) PhilPetite Head, Small LettersRB----------$1,500$2,250$4,225$7,525$15,000
1843(None) PhilPetite Head, Small LettersRD--------------$12,875$45,000--
1843(None) PhilPetite Head, Lg LettersBN$37$50$81$230$354$850$1,390$1,600$4,950$9,500
1843(None) PhilPetite Head, Lg LettersRB------------$2,000$1,950$7,250$24,150
1843(None) PhilMature HeadBN$42$55$84$330$448$680$1,700$2,300$3,775--
1843(None) PhilMature HeadRB------------$2,555$3,290$4,550--
1844/81(None) Phil--RB------------$10,000$36,950----
1844/81(None) Phil--BN$105$200$223$470$938$1,700$5,075$6,043$8,250--
1844(None) Phil--RB----------$1,025$2,288$4,275$7,550--
1844(None) Phil--BN$29.60$60$52$109$228$575$1,385$1,925$3,140$7,250
1845(None) Phil--BN$40$34$42$71$148$332$558$875$1,848--
1845(None) Phil--RB----------$695$1,305$2,370$4,400--
1845(None) Phil--RD------------$3,725$9,375$13,750--
1846(None) PhilSmall DateBN$30$35$42$100$190$343$648$928$1,578$3,615
1846(None) PhilSmall DateRB----------$748$1,465$3,005$4,525$9,880
1846(None) PhilMedium DateBN$31$38$47$96$195$439$788$2,575$7,500$11,500
1846(None) PhilMedium DateRB------------$5,250$9,625----
1846(None) PhilTall DateBN$44$58$78$167$323$753$1,988$2,740$6,725$30,000
1846(None) PhilTall DateRB------------$3,875$6,950----
1847/47(None) PhilLarge/Small 47RB--------------$21,625----
1847(None) Phil--BN$27$35$60$107$185$420$520$825$1,655$3,800
1847/47(None) PhilLarge/Small 47BN$82$123$144$368$609$1,430$2,943$4,688$10,100--
1847(None) Phil--RD------------$2,370$6,450$14,050$35,000
1848(None) Phil--BN$30$33$53$100$173$344$573$779$1,510$2,975
1848(None) Phil--RB----------$393$880$1,190$3,135$5,545
1848(None) Phil--RD----------$450$1,250$8,125$21,675--
1849(None) Phil--BN$28.50$37$80$104$228$404$704$1,298$2,165$5,750
1849(None) Phil--RB----------$475$1,960$2,420$4,125$10,000
1849(None) Phil--RD--------------$3,850$11,200--
1850(None) Phil--BN$28$33$48$90$128$244$377$526$997$1,502
1850(None) Phil--RB----------$282$444$703$1,455$2,835
1850(None) Phil--RD----------$350$1,128$2,255$4,670$18,600
1851/81(None) Phil--RD--------------$5,000$18,250$24,200
1851/81(None) Phil--RB------------$1,520$3,000$5,950$7,280
1851(None) Phil--RD------------$824$1,943$3,570$6,810
1851/81(None) Phil--BN$82$110$152$229$361$622$1,280$1,755$3,465$5,655
1851(None) Phil--BN$29$38$60$90$160$206$342$520$980$1,348
1851(None) Phil--RB----------$248$392$815$1,090$2,653
1852(None) Phil--BN$29$38$43$80$128$201$330$453$793$1,405
1852(None) Phil--RB----------$253$429$715$1,278$2,450
1852(None) Phil--RD------------$1,145$2,020$3,165$15,350
1853(None) Phil--BN$29$38$43$100$150$213$330$465$780$1,565
1853(None) Phil--RB----------$260$417$615$1,190$2,353
1853(None) Phil--RD------------$849$1,868$3,320$5,810
1854(None) Phil--RD------------$1,143$3,225$5,325$13,690
1854(None) Phil--BN$29$38$50$80$128$201$367$503$913$1,598
1854(None) Phil--RB----------$248$429$715$1,140$2,203
1855(None) PhilUpright 55RB----------$220$417$740$1,207$2,053
1855(None) PhilUpright 55RD------------$924$1,568$3,195$5,435
1855(None) PhilSlanted 55BN$27$32$39$81$146$238$380$550$1,060$2,450
1855(None) PhilSlanted 55RB----------$350$495$783$2,225$11,200
1855(None) PhilSlanted 55RD------------$1,305$2,475$7,088$16,125
1855(None) PhilKnob on EarBN$54$81$110$157$269$505$863$1,350$2,103$4,838
1855(None) PhilKnob on EarRB--------------$3,000$5,105$8,075
1855(None) PhilKnob on EarRD--------------$4,790----
1855(None) PhilUpright 55BN$29$39$46$76$170$221$342$465$858$1,698
1856(None) PhilSlanted 5RB----------$248$479$665$1,232$4,240
1856(None) PhilSlanted 5RD------------$965$2,175$4,900--
1856(None) PhilUpright 5RB----------$235$404$627$1,357$2,428
1856(None) PhilSlanted 5BN$29$38$50$68$128$221$337$503$768$2,025
1856(None) PhilUpright 5RD----------$290$849$1,518$4,195$7,235
1856(None) PhilUpright 5BN$28$33$50$60$136$206$342$478$933$1,848
1857(None) PhilLarge DateBN$118$144$175$340$279$455$665$1,095$2,285--
1857(None) PhilLarge DateRB------------$1,045$1,855$4,435$7,250
1857(None) PhilLarge DateRD--------------$5,100$23,500--
1857(None) PhilSmall DateBN$113$160$215$314$372$534$808$1,148$2,960$3,740
1857(None) PhilSmall DateRB------------$1,475$2,255$5,185$8,650
1857(None) PhilSmall DateRD------------$3,415$4,700----

Description and History

The Braided Hair Large Cent, minted from 1839 to 1857, represents the final design in the series of large cents produced by the United States Mint. This coin is a crucial piece of early American numismatics, reflecting the artistic and manufacturing advancements of the U.S. Mint during that period and the evolving economy of the pre-Civil War United States.

Christian Gobrecht, Chief Engraver at the U.S. Mint, created the Braided Hair design. The coin’s obverse features a portrait of Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed with “LIBERTY,” her hair styled in a tightly braided fashion that gives this coin its name. The reverse showcases a wreath encircling the denomination “ONE CENT,” with the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” encircling the wreath.

The Braided Hair Large Cent was introduced during significant change and innovation at the U.S. Mint. It succeeded the earlier Coronet (or Matron Head) design, reflecting a desire for a more modern and aesthetically pleasing depiction of Liberty. Minted until the advent of the smaller Flying Eagle cent in 1857, the Braided Hair Large Cent was among the last of the large copper coins that had been a staple of American currency since the late 18th century. Its production ceased as part of a broader effort to modernize the nation’s coinage, which included the introduction of smaller, more practical coins made of less expensive materials.

Today, the Braided Hair Large Cent is highly valued by collectors and investors for its historical significance, beauty, and rarity, especially in higher grades. Its presence in a collection offers a glimpse into a pivotal era of American numismatics. It is marked by the transition from large, cumbersome copper coins to the smaller, more convenient denominations that would dominate U.S. currency in the following years.