1842 Braided Hair Large Cent Proof
Proof struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 15 made
- Mintage
- 15
- Metal
- 100% copper
- Weight
- 10.89 g
- Diameter
- 27.5 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent Proof worth?
Few coins in the series are harder to find. Even a worn 1842 sells well above face value. The flip side is that counterfeits and altered dates are common, so authentication matters.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent Proof rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 15 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent?
- No mint mark. All struck in Philadelphia.
- How many 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent proofs were made?
- 15.
What to check on your 1842
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Judge the grade under good light. Wear appears on the hair cords and the curls behind the ear. Because mintages were high, condition and eye appeal decide value for most dates.
Proofs from 1842 were struck one at a time in small numbers and many were later spent or mishandled. Look for hairlines from cleaning, which lower the grade.
The story of the 1842
Petite Head cents (1839 to 1843)
Christian Gobrecht's Braided Hair portrait arrived late in 1839, so only about 200,000 cents of the new design carry that date. The first version, called the Petite Head, shows a small head with small letters on the reverse. Annual output settled between 1.6 and 2.5 million cents. The 1840 and 1842 each come in small date and large date styles. The 1840 has a small date over large 18 variety.
In 1843 the Mint introduced a larger, more mature head and larger reverse letters. That year therefore has three combinations: Petite Head with small letters, Mature Head with large letters and a scarce mule pairing the Petite Head with the large letter reverse. Petite Head cents are usually seen worn to Very Fine or below with chocolate brown color. Proofs from these years are rare and were made only in very small numbers.
How to recognize it
Liberty faces left with her hair gathered into a bun tied with beaded cords and a coronet reading LIBERTY. Thirteen stars surround her and the date is below. The reverse keeps the wreath around ONE CENT with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the rim. These were the last large cents before the coin was ended by law in 1857.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Braided Hair Large Cent (1839–1857) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1842 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 15 |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 100% copper |
| Weight | 10.89 grams |
| Diameter | 27.5 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Christian Gobrecht |
Other 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent | 2,383,390 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1842 Braided Hair Large Cent Proof | 15 | Proof | – |
Mintage: United States cent mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.