Numismatic

1854 Large Cent Fine

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In the mid nineteenth century, the United States Mint produced copper cents that were significantly larger than the pennies we use today. The 1854 large cent represents the Braided Hair design style, which was minted from 1839 to 1857. This particular coin, struck at the Philadelphia Mint, has survived in Fine condition, showing the honest wear of a piece that once circulated actively in early American commerce. The obverse of this copper coin features a left-facing profile of Liberty, her hair styled in a neat braid secured by a coronet. Encircling this central image are thirteen stars, representing the original American colonies, with the year 1854 stamped clearly at the bottom. On the reverse, the words ONE CENT are positioned at the center, surrounded by a continuous decorative wreath. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA wraps around the outer edge of the design. This simple yet elegant combination of a wreath and bold denomination defines the reverse of America's early copper coinage, offering a tangible look at the nation's mid-nineteenth-century monetary system.