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The Global Insight

How much is a 1796 large cent worth?

Author

James Olson

Updated on April 09, 2026

Pricing the 1797 Draped Bust Large Cent

DATEGOODUNCIRCULATED
1796 Liberty Cap$400$12,000
1796 Draped Bust$250$12,500
Source: Red Book

How much is a large copper penny worth?

The American large cent is worth at least $17 to $20 today. That is the minimum value of a coin in “good” condition, a heavily worn coin. Collectors pursuing these old and scarce coins underpin American large cent values.

Are large cents rare?

Of the three large one cent coins produced in 1793, the Liberty Cap Large Cent is the rarest. Only about 11,056 Liberty Cap Large Cents were minted and only two in mint condition are known to exist today. The most ever paid for a 1793 Liberty Cap Large Cent was $1,450,000.

How much is a 1798 copper penny worth?

What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc. ):

Good (G-4)Very Good (VG-8)Extremely Fine (EF-40)
Good (G-4)Very Good (VG-8)Extremely Fine (EF-40)
$104$144$2,427

How much is a 1793 penny worth today?

Pricing the 1793 Flowing Hair Large Cent

DATEGOODUNCIRCULATED
1793 Flowing Hair$8,000$125,000
1793 Liberty Cap$6,000$170,000
Source: Red Book

How much does a 1793 penny cost?

What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc. ):

Good (G-4)Very Good (VG-8)About Uncirculated (AU-50)
Good (G-4)Very Good (VG-8)About Uncirculated (AU-50)
$6,521$13,237$754,860

How much is a pound of copper pennies worth?

5 The price of copper on Dec. 10, 2019, was $2.75 a pound. 6 That meant the copper in each penny was worth about 1.7 cents. Thus, the meltdown value of a pre-1982 penny was about 70% more than the face value.

What is the melt value of a copper penny?

Current Precious and Base Metal Bullion Spot Prices:

Type DescriptionMetal ContentMelt Value
Type DescriptionMetal ContentMelt Value
Lincoln Shield Cent Small Cents (2010-Present)97.5% Zinc – 2.5% Copper$0.0078
Lincoln Wheat Cent Small Cents (1909-1958)95% Copper – 5% Tin and Zinc$0.0283
Two Cents

What are the most valuable large cents?

The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has certified and encapsulated the 1793 Strawberry Leaf NC-3, Rarity-8 variety that became the most valuable United States large cent when it recently sold in a public auction by Stack’s for a record $862,500 on January 5, 2009.

How much is a 1796 liberty cap penny worth?

Early Copper Penny. What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc.): USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1796 Liberty Cap Large Cent is Worth $610 in Average Condition and can be Worth $614,023 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition.

How much is a 1797 American large cent worth?

American Large Cent Values Condition of Coin Condition of Coin Condition of Coin 1796 $315 $675 $3,444 1797 $143 $518 $1,749 1798 $109 $315 $1,304 1799 $3,600 $11,975 RARE

How much is a 1805 American large cent worth?

American Large Cent Values Condition of Coin Condition of Coin Condition of Coin Condition of Coin 1805 $64 $280 $1,038 $2,689 1806 $66 $307 $1,186 RARE 1807 $73 $325 $1,046 RARE

Who was the minter of the 1794 large cent?

Though still rare, the Wreath reverse Large Cent had a mintage of more than 60,000. Despite Adam Eckfeldt’s redesign of the 1793 Large Cent, Mint Director David Rittenhouse hired Joseph Wright to completely revamp the coin’s design for the 1794 release.