Draped Bust Large Cent-One Cent US Coin Guide-Pictures

Draped Bust Facts & History:

Scot's Draped Bust design was modeled after a drawing by artist Gilbert Stuart. It depicts Liberty with flowing hair, a ribbon behind her head and drapery at her neckline. The inscription LIBERTY is above the bust and the date below. The reverse features the denomination ONE CENT, encircled by an open wreath of two olive branches tied with a bow. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the wreath, and the fraction 1/100 is between the ends of the bow.

There are three varieties of reverses; each varies the leaves and berries on the wreath. They are known as the "Type of 1794," "Type of 1795" or "Type of 1797." All three types were used on the reverse of 1796 cents, with the latter two types on the 1797. The last reverse remained constant on the dates through 1807.

Since the lettering was punched into the dies by hand, errors abound. Among these are blunders such as the "LIHERTY" error where the "B" was rotated 180 degrees before being punched and then crudely corrected, or the "T" over "Y" blunder in 1802. Other variations involve the spacing and positioning of the lettering and date. Reverse errors include the wrong fraction, 1/000; a corrected fraction; the 2nd "T" in STATES or the "U" in UNITED punched inverted, then corrected; a large fraction punched over a small fraction and a stemless wreath.

Over sixteen million Draped Bust large cents were made between 1796 and 1807. Although replete with many scarce varieties, the series has one particularly rare date, 1799. First popularized by early 19th century collector Joseph Mickley's search for his birthyear coin, the 1799 issue has achieved fame among large cent devotees. Although the mintage was relatively high, they are elusive in all grades. One story relating to their short supply opines that thousands of 1799 dated cents destined for tribal chiefs in exchange for slaves were lost at sea while being shipped to Africa by a Salem, Massachusetts company.

Information courtesy of NGC and Coinfacts.com

SPECIFICATIONS:

Designer: Robert Scot

Diameter: 28 millimeters

Metal content: Copper - 100%

Weight: 168 grains (10.9 grams)

Edge: Plain, except for two varieties that have a "Gripped" Edge

Mint marks: None (all 1797 Large Cents were struck at the Philadelphia Mint)

Date/Mint Mark	Mintage	Grade	Value
1796 Reverse of 1794	363,375	AG3	$400
1796 Reverse of 1796	Included above	AG3	$350
1796 Reverse of 1797	Included above	AG3	$400
1796 LIHBERTY	Included above	AG3	$700
1797 Reverse of 1795, Gripped edge	897,510	AG3	$125
1797 Reverse of 1795, Plain edge	Included above	AG3	$175
1797 Rev. of 1797, stems	Included above	AG3	$400
1797 Rev. of 1797, stemless	Included above	AG3	$450
1798 Rev. of 1795	1,841,745	AG3	$125
1798/7 1st Hair style	Included above	AG3	$125
1798 1st Hair style	Included above	AG3	$75
1798 2nd Hair style		AG3	$70
1799	(included in 1798 Figures)	AG3	$1,800
1799/8	Included above	AG3	$2,000
1800 Normal date	2,822,175	AG3	$75
1800/1798 1st Hair style	Included above	AG3	$100
1801	1,362,837	AG3	$50
1801 3 errors reverse	Included above	AG3	$125
1801 1/000	Included above	AG3	$75
1801 100/000	Included above	AG3	$100
1802	3,435,100	AG3	$40
1802 Stemless	Included above	AG3	$50
1802 1/000	Included above	AG3	$60
1803 Small date/Small fraction	3,131,691	VF20	$800
1803 Small date/Large fraction	Included above
1803 Large date/Small fraction	Included above	AG3	$3,000
1803 Large date/Small fraction	Included above	AG3	$100
1803 Stemless	Included above	AG3	$55
1803 100/000	Included above	AG3	$65
1804	96,500	AG3	$700
1804 Restrike circa 1860	Included above	F12	$500
1805 Pointed 1	941,116	AG3	$50
1805 Blunt 1	Included above	AG3	$50
1806	348,000	AG3	$65
1807 Large fraction	829,221	AG3	$50
1807 Small fraction	Included above	AG3	$60
1807 Small fraction, comet	Included above	AG3	$60
1807/6 Large 7	Included above	AG3	$50
1807/6 Small 7	Included above	AG3	$2,500