1808 1C, BN

1810 1C, BN

1809 1C, BN (Regular Strike)

Series: Classic Head Cents 1808-1814

PCGS MS64BN

PCGS MS64BN

PCGS #:: 1546

Designer:: John Reich

Edge:: Plain

Diameter:: 28.00 millimeters

Weight:: 10.89 grams

Mintage:: 222,867

Mint:: Philadelphia

Metal:: Copper

Auction Record:: $43,200 • MS64BN • 08-11-2020 • Stack's Bowers

ShowHide Related Coins and Varieties (4)

Major Varieties

1809 1C, BN
1809 1C, RB
1809 1C, RD

Die Varieties

1809 1C S-280, BN

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Price Guide (USD)

PCGS Population

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For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - PCGS Graded

For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts' opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity By Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity By Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
All Grades	2,000	R-4.6	4 / 11 TIE	4 / 11 TIE
60 or Better	40	R-8.7	9 / 11	9 / 11
65 or Better	0	R-10.1	1 / 11	1 / 11

Survival Estimate
All Grades	2,000
60 or Better	40
65 or Better

Numismatic Rarity
All Grades	R-4.6
60 or Better	R-8.7
65 or Better	R-10.1

Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type
All Grades	4 / 11 TIE
60 or Better	9 / 11
65 or Better	1 / 11

Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series
All Grades	4 / 11 TIE
60 or Better	9 / 11
65 or Better	1 / 11

Condition Census What Is This?

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS64BN	“The C.T. Whitman Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, August 1893, Lot 863 – $53; M.A. Brown; “The M.A. Brown Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1897, Lot 814 – $55; “The John G. Mills Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1904, Lot 1274 – $40; “The George H. Earle, Jr. Collection,” Henry Chapman, June 1912, Lot 3446 – $54; Samuel Hudson Chapman; “The Arthur Sargent Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, June 1913, Lot 524 – $115; Carl Wurtzbach; Rodney T. Grove; Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling; "Auction ’81," Superior, July 1981, Lot 527 – $21,000; Superior, privately; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; Jay Parrino, April 16, 1996; W.M. “Jack” Wadlington. As PCGS MS64BN #34168504. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1058 – $43,200; Heritage Auctions, January 19, 2025, Lot 4397 - $40,800. "The johnfbrice Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). S-280.
1	PCGS MS64BN	Discovered in France; Heritage Rare Coin Galleries July 1984; Denis W. Loring, May 1986; “The Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection,” Superior, January 1996, Lot 384 – $6,875; Chris Victor-McCawley; “The Chris Kromer Collection,” Superior Galleries, February 2001, Lot 2301; Bowers and Merena, November 2001, Lot 2628; Superior, August 2002, Lot 246; “The Joshua and Ally Walsh Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 2006, Lot 3030; Denis W. Loring, April 2007 - $25,000; “The Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Collection,” Goldberg Auctions, September 2009, Lot 552; “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 2017, Lot 5132 – $32,900; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3054 – $32,400; "The Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2025, Lot 2217 - $30,000. S-280. Die State VI. Desribed by Ellsworth as having "cartwheel luster on both sides of olive brown with lighter reverse."
1	PCGS MS64BN	“The John P. Lyman Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, November 1913, Lot 432 – $51; Henry Chapman; Virgil M. Brand; Carl Wurtzbach; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 1972; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr.; Early American Coppers, April 1989, Lot 165 – $3,750; Del Bland; Chris Victor-McCawley; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Tallarico Rare Coins; Dr. Robert Bye; Stack’s, May 1997, Lot 386 – $8,250. As PCGS MS64BN #50004411. “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 2014, Lot 30029 – $25,850. As PCGS MS64BN #11224481. “The Collection of Thaddeus A. Tatum III,” Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1049 – $22,800. S-280. Breen Die State VIII.
1	PCGS MS64BN	From England in 1973 to John J. Ford, Jr., Jon Hanson, February 1974; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; Bill Noyes, August 2010 - As PCGS MS64BN #32782993. "The Thomas D. Reynolds Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 311 - $129,250. S-280.
5	PCGS MS63+BN	Mike Chipman. S-280.
6	PCGS MS63BN	As NGC MS63BN #4502328-002: Heritage Auctions, August 16, 2018, Lot 5052 – $16,800. S-280.
6	PCGS MS63BN	“The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection,” Bowers and Merena, May 1996, Lot 532; As PCGS MS63BN #4512271. Stack’s, July 2008, Lot 1114 – $32,200; “The Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation,” Stack’s-Bowers, January 2013, Lot 13021 – $28,200; Pogue Family. As PCGS MS63BN #32708433. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s-Bowers, March 2017, lot 5133 – $25,850; Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 3887 – $21,737.50. As PCGS MS63BN #39179488. S-280. Die State VIII.

#1 PCGS MS64BN

“The C.T. Whitman Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, August 1893, Lot 863 – $53; M.A. Brown; “The M.A. Brown Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1897, Lot 814 – $55; “The John G. Mills Collection,” Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, April 1904, Lot 1274 – $40; “The George H. Earle, Jr. Collection,” Henry Chapman, June 1912, Lot 3446 – $54; Samuel Hudson Chapman; “The Arthur Sargent Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, June 1913, Lot 524 – $115; Carl Wurtzbach; Rodney T. Grove; Robert Nofal and Lewis Kling; "Auction ’81," Superior, July 1981, Lot 527 – $21,000; Superior, privately; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; Jay Parrino, April 16, 1996; W.M. “Jack” Wadlington. As PCGS MS64BN #34168504. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1058 – $43,200; Heritage Auctions, January 19, 2025, Lot 4397 - $40,800. "The johnfbrice Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). S-280.

#1 PCGS MS64BN

Discovered in France; Heritage Rare Coin Galleries July 1984; Denis W. Loring, May 1986; “The Robinson S. Brown, Jr. Collection,” Superior, January 1996, Lot 384 – $6,875; Chris Victor-McCawley; “The Chris Kromer Collection,” Superior Galleries, February 2001, Lot 2301; Bowers and Merena, November 2001, Lot 2628; Superior, August 2002, Lot 246; “The Joshua and Ally Walsh Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 2006, Lot 3030; Denis W. Loring, April 2007 - $25,000; “The Daniel W. Holmes, Jr. Collection,” Goldberg Auctions, September 2009, Lot 552; “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 2017, Lot 5132 – $32,900; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3054 – $32,400; "The Colonel Steven K. Ellsworth Collection," Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2025, Lot 2217 - $30,000. S-280. Die State VI. Desribed by Ellsworth as having "cartwheel luster on both sides of olive brown with lighter reverse."

#1 PCGS MS64BN

“The John P. Lyman Collection,” Samuel Hudson Chapman, November 1913, Lot 432 – $51; Henry Chapman; Virgil M. Brand; Carl Wurtzbach; Dr. William H. Sheldon, April 1972; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr.; Early American Coppers, April 1989, Lot 165 – $3,750; Del Bland; Chris Victor-McCawley; Dr. Robert J. Shalowitz; Tallarico Rare Coins; Dr. Robert Bye; Stack’s, May 1997, Lot 386 – $8,250. As PCGS MS64BN #50004411. “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 2014, Lot 30029 – $25,850. As PCGS MS64BN #11224481. “The Collection of Thaddeus A. Tatum III,” Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 1049 – $22,800. S-280. Breen Die State VIII.

#1 PCGS MS64BN

From England in 1973 to John J. Ford, Jr., Jon Hanson, February 1974; R.E. "Ted" Naftzger, Jr.; Bill Noyes, August 2010 - As PCGS MS64BN #32782993. "The Thomas D. Reynolds Collection," Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 311 - $129,250. S-280.

#5 PCGS MS63+BN

Mike Chipman. S-280.

#6 PCGS MS63BN

As NGC MS63BN #4502328-002: Heritage Auctions, August 16, 2018, Lot 5052 – $16,800. S-280.

#6 PCGS MS63BN

“The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection,” Bowers and Merena, May 1996, Lot 532; As PCGS MS63BN #4512271. Stack’s, July 2008, Lot 1114 – $32,200; “The Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation,” Stack’s-Bowers, January 2013, Lot 13021 – $28,200; Pogue Family. As PCGS MS63BN #32708433. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection,” Stack’s-Bowers, March 2017, lot 5133 – $25,850; Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 3887 – $21,737.50. As PCGS MS63BN #39179488. S-280. Die State VIII.

Charles Morgan:

The 1809 Classic Head Cent, S-280

The Philadelphia Mint struck 222,867 1809 Classic Head Cents (BN #1546) using a single die pair. While not a rare date overall, the issue is scarce in Choice Mint State and unknown in Mint State Red or Red-Brown.

Two of the finest known specimens were repatriated from Europe in the late 20th century, while two others trace their provenance back to the the early days of the American Numismatic Association. The example from the famed Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, passed through the famed Cardinal and Pogue Collections before appearing in an August 2017 Heritage sale. This piece ranks sixth in our census.

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