1853 Braided Hair Coronet Head Cent Base
Base
About This Coin
The 1853 Braided Hair Coronet Head Cent Base is a United States cent from the Braided Hair Coronet Head Cents 1839-1857 series — 15th of 19 years in the series. In 1853, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 6.6 million. This ranks 13th of 19 years by total mintage, above the series median of 5.2 million. The obverse features Liberty facing left with braided hair swept up and held by a beaded cord, wearing a headband inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a wreath enclosing ONE CENT. Continued strong production despite rising copper prices. Struck in copper, weighing 10.89 grams, 27.5 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Collectors have identified one known die variety for this date (cud). Across its variants, estimated values range from $30 to $437 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $28K in PR64 grade at Stack's Bowers. Designed by Christian Gobrecht.
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.
