1849 Braided Hair Cent

About the Braided Hair Cent

The Braided Hair Cent is a type of large cent designed and minted by the United States Mint between 1839 and 1857. These coins feature a woman with long hair styled in a bun on the obverse side and a laurel wreath on the reverse side. The Braided Hair Cent is the successor to the Classic Head Cent, which was minted from 1808 to 1838.

The obverse of the coin features a bust of Lady Liberty wearing a ribbon tied in a bow atop of her bun adorned with a single star. The phrase “LIBERTY” is above her head and the year of mintage is below her neck. The reverse features a laurel wreath with the words “ONE CENT” inside. The words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” are above the wreath.

The Braided Hair cent was achieved using a process called the Screw Press, which allowed for the image of the coin to have a much higher relief or sharper look than in the previous, hand-cut coins. It was designed by Christian Gobrecht and was issued in three varieties. The first, called the Matron Head cent, featured a distinctly rounder face than the Liberty Braided Hair cent. The second variety was the Young Head cent, which featured a sharper bust and was designed to incorporate both Liberty and the modern style of the time. The third variety was the Coronet Head cent, which featured a larger head and an elongated neck.

The Braided Hair Cent was produced in denominations of 1/100th of a US dollar in copper from 1839 until 1857. The mintage of these coins was much lower than the Classic Head cents and it can be difficult to locate them in good condition, making them a challenge for collectors. The larger size of the Braided Hair cents means that they often suffer from scratches and other wear, so finding a mint-condition example can be difficult.

All in all, the Braided Hair Cent is an interesting collectible coin from the United States Mint. Its design has been praised for its high-relief features and for incorporating both classic and modern styles of the time. However, their low mintage and their difficulty to find in great condition also puts them in high demand. With its historical significance and its beauty, the Braided Hair Cent is a must-have in any coin collection.

The 1849 Braided Hair Cent coin, has a total mintage of 4,178,500, struck at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania mint, and engraved by Christian Gobrecht. Made of copper, weighing 10.89 grams, with a diameter of 27.5 mm, and a thickness of 2.39 mm, and featuring a plain edge.

The obverse is portrait of liberty facing left, date below, 13 stars surrounding around the rim. It reads “1855”. The reverse is value within wreath. It reads “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ONE CENT”.