Numismatic

1840 Large Cent Sm Date Good

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In 1840, the United States Mint in Philadelphia produced a copper large cent that stands as a classic example of early American coinage. This particular coin represents the Braided Hair type, a design style that defined the final era of the large copper cents minted from 1839 to 1857. The obverse side displays a dignified effigy of Liberty, her hair styled in neat braids, surrounded by a ring of thirteen stars representing the original colonies. Below her portrait sits the date of 1840. On the reverse, the denomination of ONE CENT is centered inside a delicate wreath, which is itself encircled by the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Crafted entirely from copper, these large cents are much larger and heavier than the pennies in use today. This piece, graded in Good condition, carries the physical wear of a coin that circulated widely during the mid nineteenth century, offering a tangible connection to daily commerce in early America.