Liberty Cap Large Cent Values & Mintages

Grading tips

Look at the hair curls around the face and the leaves of the wreath. Strong, even brown surfaces are prized. Many survivors are rough or corroded and trade at a fraction of a "choice" example.

Joseph Wright and the yellow fever of 1793

The Liberty Cap cent was introduced in the late summer of 1793 to replace the short-lived Wreath cent. Its designer, Joseph Wright, was an artist who had painted George Washington and was appointed the Mint's engraver that year. He died within weeks in the yellow fever epidemic that swept Philadelphia in the autumn of 1793 and killed thousands. The 1793 Liberty Cap cents are therefore both very scarce and a memorial to one of the Mint's earliest artists.

Later dies were cut by Robert Scot and by John Smith Gardner, an assistant, which explains the different styles of portrait seen over the series.

Heads of 1793, 1794 and 1795

Specialists divide the 1794 cents by portrait style. The Head of 1793 has a rounded, high-relief portrait like Wright's original. The Head of 1794 has sharper hair detail and is the most common style. The Head of 1795 has a smaller, lower-relief face that carried on into the following year. Learning to spot these heads is the first step in attributing a Liberty Cap cent.

The 1794 is the most popular year in all of early copper collecting. It has dozens of die marriages and some charming oddities, such as the Starred Reverse, which has 94 tiny stars around the edge of the reverse. Sheldon's reference covers each variety in detail.

The weight change and the Jefferson Head

Rising copper prices led President Washington to reduce the cent's weight by a proclamation of January 1796 that took effect from December 27, 1795. The lighter cents of 1795 and 1796 have a plain edge, as the lettered edge was dropped along with the extra weight.

One of the best-known coins of 1795 is the Jefferson Head cent, with a portrait unlike the Mint's own work. It is generally believed to be a private piece made by a contractor who hoped to win a contract to strike cents for the government. It is very rare and is listed with the regular varieties.

Buying a Liberty Cap cent

Start with an attractive 1794 or 1795 in the grade range you can afford. Wear first shows on the hair at the forehead and the cap. Look for even brown color, readable LIBERTY and date and no major corrosion, which is common. The 1793 is a major rarity and is often faked by altering a 1795 date, so buy it certified.

Frequently asked questions