1820 United States Cent Value

The 1820 United States Cent carries a current retail range of about its melt value to well into four figures across circulated and Mint State grades. Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.

Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.

1820 United States Cent value by grade

1820 United States Cent value by grade
GradeEstimated 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.

Current 1820 United States Cent value

Pricing for the 1820 United States Cent depends on grade and current collector demand.

1820 United States Cent specifications

Series
United States Coinage
Year
1820
Mint mark
None (Philadelphia)
Mintage
Not recorded
Composition
Copper
Weight
10.511 g
Diameter
27 mm

Why there is no letter on this coin

Philadelphia struck the 1820 United States Cent, and Philadelphia coins of this period carry no mint mark at all. An empty space at the usual mint mark position (see the series guide) confirms a Philadelphia strike, not a flaw.

What makes the 1820 United States Cent valuable

For the 1820 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 1820 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.

1820 United States Cent inscriptions & design

Obverse

LIBERTY 1820

mature head of Liberty facing left

Reverse

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ONE CENT

wreath

Measured 1820 United States Cent specimens

12 physically measured 1820 United States Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 10.511 g, 27 mm minting standard.

Measured 1820 United States Cent specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1820 United States Cent #19.986 g29 mm-Brunk.not, Newcomb.1820.4, Breen.1812
1820 United States Cent #210.511 g--Breen.1812, Newcomb.20.8
1820 United States Cent #310.573 g-6 hBreen.1812, Newcomb.20.15
1820 United States Cent #410.786 g-6 hBreen.1812, Newcomb.20.5
1820 United States Cent #5---Breen.1812, Newcomb.20.15
1820 United States Cent #6---Breen.1812, Newcomb.20.13
1820 United States Cent #7---Newcomb.20.1, Breen.1806
1820 United States Cent #8---Newcomb.20.2.1, Breen.1810
1820 United States Cent #9---Newcomb.20.2.2, Breen.1810
1820 United States Cent #10---Newcomb.20.3, Breen.1811
1820 United States Cent #11---Breen.1812, Newcomb.20.4
1820 United States Cent #12---Breen.1812, Newcomb.20.5

Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.