One Cent 1839 Young Head, Coin from United States - detailed information

One Cent 1839 Young Head, Coin from United States (withdrawn 1857)
CoinOne Cent 1839 Young Head

The United States one-cent coin (often called a penny, from the British coin of the same name) is a unit of currency equalling one-hundredth of a United States dollar. The cent's symbol is ¢. It has been the lowest-value physical unit of U.S. currency since the abolition of the half-cent in 1857.

The earliest one cent coins were large and made of copper. The designs changed relatively often. There were three different types in 1793 alone, the Flowing Hair / Chain Cent, the Flowing Hair / Wreath Cent and the Liberty Cap Cent - the latter issued until 1796, after which came the Draped Bust type (1796 to 1807) and the so-called Classic Head Cent (1808 to 1814).

In 1815, no one cent coins were struck because the Philadelphia Mint could not order copper planchets from its supplier Boulton & Watt in England, due to the 1812-185 war between the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1816, the denomination was resumed with a new design generally known as the Liberty Head Cent (which is somewhat confusing, as all large cents had the head of Liberty on the obverse, only in different interpretations), or the Coronet Cent after the coronet (or diadem) that Liberty wears on this design. The obverse was re-worked a couple of times, with the different versions being known as the Matron Head Cent (1816 - 1836) - being the original design, then the Young Head with the portrait showing a somewhat younger Liberty (1837 - 1839), and finally the Braided Hair Cent (1839 - 1857). This second rendition is by Christian Gobrecht.

The large copper format of the one cent denomination was discontinued by the Coinage Act of February 21, 1857 and was replaced by a smaller bronze coin. While withdrawn from circulation and not used any more, these coins have never been officially demonetised though.

MintPhiladelphia Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 3,128,661 (3.1 million)
Obverse
United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head - obverse photo

The obverse of the coin shows, within a denticled (toothed) border, the head of Liberty, facing left, with long hair tied back in a bun.

She wears a coronet or diadem, on which the inscription LIBERTY is in relief.

All around, thirteen six-pointed stars represent the first thirteen states that formed the United States.

Below, the date of issue: 1839.

Obverse Inscription ************* 1839
Reverse
United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head - reverse photo

On two lines at its centre, the coin displays its value and denomination: ONE CENT, surrounded by an olive/laurel wreath.

There is a bar (horizontal line) below the word "CENT".

Around, within a denticled (toothed) border, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Reverse Inscription ONE CENT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Most coins of the year have the regular obverse (same as the previous year, 1838). There are varieties with slightly different portraits of Liberty, and an overdate using the obverse die of 1836 where her hair is tied into a bun with a plain cord - whereas on the updated version the cord is beaded.

One Cent 1839 Young Head: Known varieties
Variety Booby head, no line below CENT
Images United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / Booby head, no line below CENT - obverse photo United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / Booby head, no line below CENT - reverse photo
Mintage Issued: unknown (included in total)
Details

This variety has been nicknamed the "Booby head" since 1859; it has a portrait of Liberty with a physcally impossible hair curl looping under the neck truncation. On the reverse, there is no horizontal bar under CENT.

Variety Silly head
Images United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / Silly head - obverse photo United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / Silly head - reverse photo
Mintage Issued: unknown (included in total)
Details

Unknown where the name for this variety comes from. The difference is in the obverse portrait, mainly a lock of hair on Liberty's forehead and a curl in the lock looping down her neck around the neck truncation.

Variety 1839/6 overdate
Images United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / 1839/6 overdate - obverse photo United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / 1839/6 overdate - reverse photo
Mintage Issued: unknown (included in total)
Details

Using a corrected 1836 die, this obverse shows a trace of the original 6 in the date, and has Liberty's hair tied back with a plain cord and not a beaded cord as in the updated version.

Variety Braided hair
Images United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / Braided hair - obverse photo United States / One Cent 1839 Young Head / Braided hair - reverse photo
Mintage Issued: unknown (included in total)
Details

Listed as a separate type in most catalogues, this variety has the new obverse as updated during 1839 and then issued until the denomination changed to a smaller coin in 1857. Apart from the different shape of Liberty's head, the main noticeable difference is in her hair which is braided between her years and her forehead (below the coronet).

Mintage of the variety is listed as unknown in catalogues. The PCGS information page says it is 200,000.

Showing 100 from a total of 241 coins of type: One Cent
Coin NameMintageSymbol / PortraitLegend
One Cent 1793 Flowing Hair, Chain 36,103 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1793
One Cent 1793 Flowing Hair, Wreath 63,353 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1793
One Cent 1793 Liberty Cap 11,056 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1793
One Cent 1794 Liberty Cap 918,521 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1794
One Cent 1795 Liberty Cap 538,500 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1795
One Cent 1796 Liberty Cap 109,825 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1796
One Cent 1796 Draped Bust 363,375 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1796
One Cent 1797 Draped Bust 897,510 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1797
One Cent 1798 Draped Bust 1,841,745 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1798
One Cent 1799 Draped Bust 42,540 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1799
One Cent 1800 Draped Bust 2,822,175 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1800
One Cent 1801 Draped Bust 1,362,837 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1801
One Cent 1802 Draped Bust 3,435,100 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1802
One Cent 1803 Draped Bust 3,131,691 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1803
One Cent 1804 Draped Bust 96,500 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1804
One Cent 1805 Draped Bust 941,116 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1805
One Cent 1806 Draped Bust 348,000 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1806
One Cent 1807 Draped Bust 727,221 Liberty, Portrait LIBERTY 1807
One Cent 1808 Classic Head 1,007,000 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1808 ******
One Cent 1809 Classic Head 222,867 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1809 ******
One Cent 1810 Classic Head 1,458,500 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1810 ******
One Cent 1811 Classic Head 218,025 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1811 ******
One Cent 1812 Classic Head 1,075,500 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1812 ******
One Cent 1813 Classic Head 418,000 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1813 ******
One Cent 1814 Classic Head 357,830 Liberty, Portrait ******* 1814 ******
One Cent 1816 Matron Head 2,820,982 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1816
One Cent 1817 Matron Head 3,948,400 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1817
One Cent 1818 Matron Head 3,167,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1818
One Cent 1819 Matron Head 2,671,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1819
One Cent 1820 Matron Head 4,407,550 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1820
One Cent 1821 Matron Head 389,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1821
One Cent 1822 Matron Head 2,072,339 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1822
One Cent 1823 Matron Head 1,262,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1823
One Cent 1824 Matron Head 1,262,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1824
One Cent 1825 Matron Head 1,461,100 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1825
One Cent 1826 Matron Head 1,517,425 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1826
One Cent 1827 Matron Head 2,357,732 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1827
One Cent 1828 Matron Head 2,260,624 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1828
One Cent 1829 Matron Head 1,414,500 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1829
One Cent 1830 Matron Head 1,711,500 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1830
One Cent 1831 Matron Head 3,359,260 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1831
One Cent 1832 Matron Head 2,362,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1832
One Cent 1833 Matron Head 2,739,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1833
One Cent 1834 Matron Head 1,855,100 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1834
One Cent 1835 Matron Head 3,878,400 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1835
One Cent 1836 Matron Head 2,111,000 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1836
One Cent 1837 Young Head 5,558,300 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1837
One Cent 1838 Young Head 6,370,200 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1838
One Cent 1839 Young Head 3,128,661 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1839
One Cent 1840 Braided Hair 2,462,700 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1840
One Cent 1841 Braided Hair 1,597,367 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1841
One Cent 1842 Braided Hair 2,383,390 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1842
One Cent 1843 Braided Hair 2,425,342 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1843
One Cent 1844 Braided Hair 2,398,752 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1844
One Cent 1845 Braided Hair 3,894,804 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1845
One Cent 1846 Braided Hair 4,120,800 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1846
One Cent 1847 Braided Hair 6,183,669 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1847
One Cent 1848 Braided Hair 6,415,799 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1848
One Cent 1849 Braided Hair 4,178,500 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1849
One Cent 1850 Braided Hair 4,426,844 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1850
One Cent 1851 Braided Hair 9,889,707 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1851
One Cent 1852 Braided Hair 5,063,094 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1852
One Cent 1853 Braided Hair 6,641,131 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1853
One Cent 1854 Braided Hair 4,236,156 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1854
One Cent 1855 Braided Hair 1,574,829 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1855
One Cent 1856 Flying Eagle 2,000 Flying Eagle UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1856
One Cent 1856 Braided Hair 2,690,463 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1856
One Cent 1857 Flying Eagle 17,450,485 Flying Eagle UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1857
One Cent 1857 Braided Hair 333,456 Liberty, Portrait ************* 1857
One Cent 1858 Flying Eagle 24,600,300 Flying Eagle UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1858
One Cent 1859 Indian Head 36,400,800 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1859
One Cent 1860 Indian Head 20,567,000 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1860
One Cent 1861 Indian Head 10,101,000 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1861
One Cent 1862 Indian Head 28,075,550 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1862
One Cent 1863 Indian Head 49,840,460 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1863
One Cent 1864 Indian Head (CuproNickel) 13,740,370 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1864
One Cent 1864 Indian Head (Bronze) 39,233,899 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1864
One Cent 1865 Indian Head 35,429,786 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1865
One Cent 1866 Indian Head 9,827,225 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1866
One Cent 1867 Indian Head 9,821,625 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1867
One Cent 1868 Indian Head 10,267,100 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1868
One Cent 1869 Indian Head 6,420,600 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1869
One Cent 1870 Indian Head 5,276,000 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1870
One Cent 1871 Indian Head 3,930,460 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1871
One Cent 1872 Indian Head 4,042,950 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1872
One Cent 1873 Indian Head 11,677,600 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1873
One Cent 1874 Indian Head 14,188,200 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1874
One Cent 1875 Indian Head 13,528,700 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1875
One Cent 1876 Indian Head 7,945,150 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1876
One Cent 1877 Indian Head 853,400 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1877
One Cent 1878 Indian Head 5,799,850 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1878
One Cent 1879 Indian Head 16,231,200 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1879
One Cent 1880 Indian Head 38,964,955 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1880
One Cent 1881 Indian Head 39,211,575 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1881
One Cent 1882 Indian Head 38,581,100 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1882
One Cent 1883 Indian Head 45,598,109 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1883
One Cent 1884 Indian Head 23,261,742 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1884
One Cent 1885 Indian Head 11,765,384 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1885
One Cent 1886 Indian Head 17,654,290 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1886
One Cent 1887 Indian Head 45,226,483 Liberty, Indian Head UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1887
Showing 1 to 100 of 241 Coins.
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One Cent 1839 Young Head: Details
CountryUnited States
CurrencyUS Dollar
Coin TypeOne Cent, Liberty Head
Issued1839
SymbolLiberty, Portrait
Face Value1 (x Cent)
Total Mintage3,128,661 (3.1 million)
CurrentNo; withdrawn 1857
MaterialCopper
DesignerChristian Gobrecht
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationCoin Alignment (Axis 6)
Size27.5000 mm
Mass10.8900 g
OCC IDGAVP-OXAC-LMKZ-EMDY
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One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photos
ImageDetails
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Braided Hair / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Braided Hair
Copyright: PCGS
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Braided Hair / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Braided Hair
Copyright: PCGS
Notes: Braids in hair.
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - 1839/6 / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - 1839/6
Copyright: PCGS
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - 1839/6 / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - 1839/6
Copyright: PCGS
Notes: Overdate, plain cords in hair.
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Silly Head / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Silly Head
Copyright: PCGS
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Silly Head / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Silly Head
Copyright: PCGS
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Booby Head / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Booby Head
Copyright: PCGS
Notes: No bar below CENT.
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Booby Head / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Booby Head
Copyright: PCGS
Notes: Curl going beneath neck truncation.
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Head of 1838 / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Head of 1838
Copyright: PCGS
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Photo Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Head of 1838 / thumbnail Coronet Head Cent 1839 - Head of 1838
Copyright: PCGS
Source
One Cent 1839 Young Head: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsUnited States KM# 45.2 (Young head)
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsUnited States KM# 67 (Braided hair)