1890 United States Cent Value
Today a 1890 United States Cent typically sells for its melt value to well into four figures, with condition doing most of the work. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1890 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.
Current 1890 United States Cent value
The market for the 1890 United States Cent is driven by condition above all.
1890 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1890
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Bronze
No mint mark? Here is why
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1890 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 1890 United States Cent valuable
Context adds the final layer to the 1890 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.
For the 1890 United States Cent, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
1890 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1890
Liberty head, Indian headdress
Reverse
ONE CENT
wreath, shield
Measured 1890 United States Cent specimens
3 physically measured 1890 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 United States Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2017 |
| 1890 United States Cent #2 | - | - | - | Breen.2017 |
| 1890 United States Cent #3 | - | - | - | Breen.2017 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.