1809 Classic Head Half Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1809 Classic Head Half Cent is a United States cent from the Classic Head Half Cents 1809-1836 series — the first year of the series. In 1809, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 3.5 million. This represents the highest annual mintage in the entire series, above the series median of 154,030. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a fillet or headband inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a wreath enclosing HALF CENT. First year of the Classic Head Half Cent after a gap in production (1812-1824 saw no half cents). Multiple Cohen die varieties exist. Struck in copper, weighing 5.44 grams, 23.5 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $103 to $4.8K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $36K in MS65BN 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.
