1868 Braided Hair Large Cent Uncirculated
Collector uncirculated struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 12 made
- Mintage
- 12 (approx.)
- 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 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent Uncirculated worth?
This is one of the dates collectors hunt for. A genuine 1868 is valuable in any condition, even well worn. That's exactly why fakes and altered coins turn up so often.
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 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent Uncirculated rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 12 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent?
- No mint mark. All struck in Philadelphia.
- How many 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent Uncirculated coins were made?
- 12 (approximately).
What to check on your 1868
- 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.
The story of the 1868
After the large cent: the 1868 collector pieces (1858 to 1868)
No large cents were struck for circulation after 1857. As the public exchanged its large cents for the new small cents, many old coins went back to the Mint and were melted, while others stayed in use as tokens and in the hands of a new generation of collectors. The disappearance of the large cent from daily use was one of the forces behind the coin collecting boom of the late 1850s.
The one later date is 1868. Mint staff that year struck large cents with a Braided Hair obverse and a standard wreath reverse for collectors. They are considered patterns, never authorized for circulation. About a dozen are known in copper and roughly seven in nickel. Every example is a proof or prooflike strike with sharp details, very different from the worn coins of the 1840s and 1850s.
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 | 1868 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Collector uncirculated |
| Mintage | 12 (approx.) |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 100% copper |
| Weight | 10.89 grams |
| Diameter | 27.5 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Christian Gobrecht |
Other 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent Uncirculated | 12 | Collector uncirculated | – |
| 1868 Braided Hair Large Cent Uncirculated (Struck in nickel for collectors) | 7 | Collector uncirculated | – |
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.