US Large Cents
Large cents were issued between 1793 and 1857. The first series were designed by Henry Voight with Flowing Hair/Chain Reverse. It weighed 13.48 grams of pure copper, and twice that of the half cent. The first design was also known as Liberty with breeze-blown hair. The reverse design is very close to the Fugio cent or Franklin cent, struck in 1787. The diameter of the coin varies between 26 and 27 mm. The first design only lasted three months with about 36,000 were produced. Then Adam Eckfeldt redesigned the second series with a minor change to the reverse that a wreath rather than the chained reverse, enclosing the words one cent. The obverse was not changed and the weight stayed the same too. The diameter varies between 26 and 28.
In 1795, the weight was dropped to 10.89 grams with 29 mm in diameter. The Draped Bust was introduced in mid 1796 and was designed by Robert Scot. The design removed the much maligned liberty cap and added some chubbiness to the appearance.
In 1808, John Reich designed the so-called Classic Head, in which Liberty wears a coronet with the word LIBERTY spelled out and the bust is shortened with drapery removed. The Classic Head was temporarily terminated 1814 due to the copper shortage and resume production in 1816 and it was called Coronet Head. The bust on the Coronet Head is shortened further with stars totally circling it.
In 1837, the last Large Cent design was put in production and the next decades, the Large Cent had many varieties. Silly Head and Bobby Head are the two main variations.
Now a variety of Large Cent are for sale on eBay.
