1789 United States Cent Value
Expect a 1789 United States Cent to trade between about its melt value and well into four figures, driven almost entirely by grade. See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
1789 United States Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|
Estimated retail range. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Today's value of the 1789 United States Cent
Pricing for the 1789 United States Cent depends on grade and current collector demand.
1789 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1789
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Copper
- Weight
- 11.36 g
- Diameter
- 30 mm
The missing mint mark, explained
The 1789 United States Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1789 United States Cent valuable
For the 1789 United States Cent, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
Context adds the final layer to the 1789 United States Cent. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1789 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
GEORGE WASHINGTON PRESIDENT 1789
Bust l. in coat
Reverse
eagle with shield
Measured 1789 United States Cent specimens
1 physically measured 1789 United States Cent example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 11.36 g, 30 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1789 United States Cent #1 | 11.36 g | 30 mm | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.