1840 Liberty Head Large Cent

The 1840 Liberty Head Large Cent is an example of a coin that draws the attention of collectors from all over the world. Due to it being produced such a long time ago, it goes without saying that the number of Liberty Heads on the market is decreasing all the time. As such, there has never been a better time than now to get your hands on one.

On the coin’s obverse, the central part of the face is dominated by the image of Lady Liberty. Lady Liberty is depicted facing leftward, and inscribed within a band that is resting upon her head is the word “Liberty.” Beneath the central imagery you will notice the 1840 year of minting inscribed. Around the outside of the central image are 13 stars, each representing the 13 original colonies of the United States.

On the reverse side of the 1840 Liberty Head Large Cent, the center of the face is dominated by the “One Cent” face value inscription. Surrounding this is a circular wreath, which is depicted with stunning detail. Finally, there is another inscription which reads “United States of America.” On the very outer edges of both the obverse and reverse sides, you will notice raised rays which give the coin a bit of added texture.

Grading the 1840 Liberty Head Large Cent

For collectors, the fact of the matter is that the 1840 Liberty Head is one of those coins that is counterfeited quite frequently. Because there are so many fakes circulating nowadays, collectors are only going to want to get their hands on coins that have been certified as being authentic through the grading process. Below, we have outlined the different coin grades.

Uncirculated: If an 1840 Liberty Head is determined to be of Uncirculated grade, this means that the piece never made it out onto the open market. Having never exchanged hands, these pieces will appear today to be in the exact same condition they were in back in 1840.

Extremely Fine: If a coin is determined to be of Extremely Fine grade, this means that it will be in mostly great condition. Though you will be able to make out a few minor imperfections, the coin will, for the most part, be in absolutely great condition.

Fine: Fine is the grade given to coins that were circulated for an extended period of time, but were taken out of circulation before they could be too heavily damaged. You will notice some light smoothing and scratching, but the coins will still be in pretty decent condition, especially when you consider how old they are.

Good: Good is the lowest grade a coin can receive. The Good grade is indicative of an 1840 Liberty Head that has been both heavily circulated and heavily damaged. You will notice that there is a lot of smoothing and scratching, so much so that some of the raised imagery and lettering will have been almost completely worn away.

Pricing the 1840 Liberty Head Large Cent

When it comes to determining a price for the 1840 Liberty Head Large Cent, this is something that comes down to the condition and scarcity of the coin. Naturally, the fewer 1840 Liberty Heads there are for sale, the more expensive an individual coin will be. What’s more, if the coins that are for sale are very well-preserved, they will, in all likelihood, carry a higher asking price than similar coins in worse condition. Below, we have a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what a graded 1840 Liberty Head might cost.

Large Cents

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1840 Liberty Head	$20	$30	$85	$200
Source: Red Book