1889 United States Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1889 United States Cent brings anywhere from its melt value to well into four figures. See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
1889 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 1889 United States Cent
The market for the 1889 United States Cent is driven by condition above all.
1889 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1889
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Bronze
Reading a coin with no mint mark
Philadelphia struck the 1889 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 1889 United States Cent valuable
For the 1889 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 1889 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.
1889 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1889
Liberty head, Indian headdress
Reverse
ONE CENT
wreath, shield
Measured 1889 United States Cent specimens
1 physically measured 1889 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1889 United States Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2014 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.