1856 United States Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1856 United States Cent brings anywhere from its melt value to well into four figures. Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1856 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.
What is the 1856 United States Cent selling for today?
The market for the 1856 United States Cent is driven by condition above all.
1856 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1856
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Copper
- Weight
- 4.633 g
- Diameter
- 19 mm
Why this coin has no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1856 United States Cent comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (varies by series) is simply blank.
What makes the 1856 United States Cent valuable
Context adds the final layer to the 1856 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 1856 United States Cent trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
1856 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1856
eagle flying l.
Reverse
ONE CENT
wreath
Measured 1856 United States Cent specimens
12 physically measured 1856 United States Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 4.633 g, 19 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 United States Cent #1 | 10.463 g | 29 mm | - | Brunk.28935, Breen.1918 |
| 1856 United States Cent #2 | - | - | - | Judd.180, Pollock.212, Breen.1924 |
| 1856 United States Cent #3 | 4.797 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1856 United States Cent #4 | 4.444 g | 19.2 mm | 6 h | Snow.1992 (fake) |
| 1856 United States Cent #5 | 4.633 g | 19.1 mm | 6 h | Snow.1992 (fake) |
| 1856 United States Cent #6 | 4.722 g | 19 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1856 United States Cent #7 | 4.55 g | 18.5 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1856 United States Cent #8 | 4.541 g | 19 mm | 6 h | - |
| 1856 United States Cent #9 | - | - | - | Breen.1919, Newcomb.56.18 |
| 1856 United States Cent #10 | - | - | - | Judd.180, Pollock.218, Breen.1925 |
| 1856 United States Cent #11 | - | - | - | Breen.1919, Newcomb.56.1 |
| 1856 United States Cent #12 | - | - | - | Breen.1919, Newcomb.56.2 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.