1841 Liberty Head Large Cent

The 1841 Liberty Head Large Cent is one of many Large Cent produced by the US Mint, but is also one of the most popular. Having been produced so long ago, collectors from around the world will do anything they can to get their hands on one of these coins. With that being said, the fact that the coins were produced so long ago means that there are only a limited number remaining.

On the obverse side of the 1841 Liberty Head, the central part of the coin is dominated by the leftward-facing image of Lady Liberty. Resting upon her head is a band, and within that band the word “Liberty” is inscribed. Beneath the central image, you will notice the 1841 year of minting inscribed. Finally, there are 13 stars on the obverse, each of which is meant to represent one of the 13 original colonies of the United States.

On the coin’s reverse, the “One Cent” face value is present in the center of the face. Surrounding this central face value inscription is an ornate wreath. Finally, the phrase “United States of America” surrounds the wreath. On the very outer edges of both the obverse and reverse sides of the coin, you will find raised rays. These rays give the coin some added texture.

Grading the 1841 Liberty Head Large Cent

For collectors, simply possessing a Large Cent is not good enough. For one, these coins are frequently counterfeited, and this means that collectors will only want to get their hands on coins that have been graded and certified as being authentic. Below, you will find an outline of the different coin grades as well as what those grades mean.

Uncirculated: If a coin is graded as being Uncirculated, this means that the piece never made out onto the open market. Thanks to never having exchanged hands, these pieces will be in pristine condition and will look today similar to how they appeared when they were first minted.

Extremely Fine: A coin determined to be of Extremely Fine grade is one that will be in great condition save for a few minor imperfections. Though you might notice a small scratch or chip, the level of damage present on these coins will be quite small. All in all, the coins will still look to be in excellent condition.

Fine: Fine is the grade given to coins that have been fairly heavily circulated, but have not incurred a large amount of damage. You will see light scratching and smoothing present on both sides of the coin, but the raised lettering and imagery will still be intact.

Good: Good is the worst grade a coin can receive and is indicative of a coin that has been both heavily worn and damaged. These pieces will be so severely damaged that even some of the raised imagery and lettering might have been completely worn away

Pricing the 1841 Liberty Head Large Cent

For collectors, one of the most important items is figuring out how much a coin like the 1841 Liberty Head Large Cent will cost. In order to determine this, one must first address the condition of the coin. Naturally, the more well-preserved a coin is, the more expensive it is going to be. In addition to this, the price of a coin will go up if there are fewer for sale. Below, you will find a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what you might expect to pay for an 1841 Large Cent, given its grade.

Large Cents

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1841 Liberty Head	$20	$35	$125	$250
Source: Red Book