1821 United States Cent Value
Today a 1821 United States Cent typically sells for its melt value to well into four figures, with condition doing most of the work. See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
1821 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 1821 United States Cent
The market for the 1821 United States Cent is driven by condition above all.
1821 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1821
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Copper
No mint mark? Here is why
Look for a letter and you will not find one. The 1821 United States Cent is a Philadelphia product, and the main mint did not sign its work at this time.
What makes the 1821 United States Cent valuable
Context adds the final layer to the 1821 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.
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1821 United States Cent trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
1821 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
************ 1821
Liberty Coronet Head, l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; ONE CENT
wreath
Measured 1821 United States Cent specimens
5 physically measured 1821 United States Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the g, mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1821 United States Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.1814, Newcomb.21.1 |
| 1821 United States Cent #2 | - | - | - | Breen.1814, Newcomb.21.2 |
| 1821 United States Cent #3 | - | - | - | Breen.1814, Newcomb.21.2.2 |
| 1821 United States Cent #4 | - | - | - | Breen.1814, Newcomb.21.2.3 |
| 1821 United States Cent #5 | - | - | - | Breen.1814, Newcomb.21.2.3 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.