Liberty Cap Large Cent

The Liberty Cap large cent features Liberty facing right with her hair flowing and a staff and cap on her left shoulder. The cap represents freedom and this type of cap was once given to slaves when they were freed. The freedom cap was a popular symbol in the United States at the time of the Revolutionary War. Miss Liberty’s presence on the coin was mandated by officials in the U.S. government and she represented the new nation of America.

Robert Scot, a famous engraver at the U.S. Mint is credited with the design and the same design originated on the Half Cent coin. On the reverse of the Liberty Cap large cent is a wreath with the words surrounding it that say “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”. Within the wreath is “ONE CENT”. The coin’s edge has “ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR” in the beginning of it’s life, but when the coin was made thinner, all coins from 1795 onward had plain edges.

Uncirculated Liberty Cap large cent coins are rare and very valuable and many die varieties exist for this coin, making it popular among collectors.

The Liberty Cap large cents of 1793 through 1796 are the classic coins of early U.S. copper coinage. Copper cents were a novelty to American then as people thought in terms of Spanish milled dollars as the U.S. was in its infancy.

Higher grade Liberty Cap large cents are eagerly sought after and America’s first coin dealer was English-born Edward Cogan. Cogan began his coin career later in life by supplying large cents to beginners to the new hobby of coin collecting.