1809 Classic Head Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1809 Classic Head Cent is a United States cent from the Classic Head Cents 1808-1814 series — the second year of the series. In 1809, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 222,867. This represents the lowest annual mintage in the entire series, below the series median of 1.0 million. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a fillet or headband inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a wreath enclosing ONE CENT. Multiple die varieties cataloged. Production continued at Philadelphia. Struck in copper, weighing 10.89 grams, 28 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $498 to $6.3K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $43K in MS64BN grade at Stack's Bowers. Designed by John Reich.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(1)
Other Base Coins in This Series
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