1878 United States Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1878 United States Cent brings anywhere from its melt value to well into four figures. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1878 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 1878 United States Cent selling for today?
The market for the 1878 United States Cent is driven by condition above all.
1878 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1878
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Bronze
Reading a coin with no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1878 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 1878 United States Cent valuable
The 1878 United States Cent lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Context adds the final layer to the 1878 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.
1878 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1878
Liberty head, Indian headdress
Reverse
ONE CENT
wreath, shield
Measured 1878 United States Cent specimens
1 physically measured 1878 United States Cent example 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1878 United States Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.1995 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.