1812 Classic Head Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1812 Classic Head Cent is a United States cent from the Classic Head Cents 1808-1814 series — 5th of 7 years in the series. In 1812, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 2.2 million. This represents the second-highest annual mintage in the series, above 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. Modest production during the War of 1812. Struck in copper, weighing 10.89 grams, 28 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Produced 3 years after the celebrated 1809 key date. Across its variants, estimated values range from $148 to $2.7K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $49K in MS65 grade at American Numismatic Rarities. 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.
