1814 1C Plain 4, BN XF40BN Certification #35036096, PCGS #1576

CoinFacts Details

Owner's Comments

S-295

Expert Comments

Charles Morgan

The 1814 Classic Head Cent

Despite the turmoil of the War of 1812 and the British sacking of Washington, D.C., the Philadelphia Mint managed to strike 357,830 Classic Head cents in 1814. Severe wartime shortages of imported English copper forced the Mint to produce the entire year's copper output in a single batch. Two distinct date styles exist for this issue: the Crosslet 4 (S-294, BN #36520) and the Plain 4 (S-295, BN #36517). These are easily distinguished by the presence or absence of a small crossbar at the terminus of the 4's arm. The Crosslet 4 is slightly scarcer.

Production & Distribution Timeline

Possibly September: 1814 cent production begins.
October 27, 1814: Chief Coiner Adam Eckfeldt delivers all 357,830 cents, completing the year's copper mintage. The Mint's supply of copper blanks is exhausted.
November 13, 1814: U.S. Treasurer Thomas T. Tucker orders the Mint to suspend copper distribution amid widespread specie payment halts.
December 26, 1814: The Bank of Pennsylvania receives the full shipment as the sole distributor, releasing most of the coins into circulation in early 1815.

Collecting the 1814 Classic Head Cent

The vast majority of surviving 1814 cents will grade PCGS XF40 or lower. Mint State specimens are scarce, and examples retaining original Mint Red are exceptionally rare, with only two known to date.

* * *

PCGS #

1576

Designer

John Reich

Edge

Plain

Diameter

28.00 millimeters

Weight

10.89 grams

Mintage

357830

Metal

Copper

Pop Higher

107

Pop Lower

355

Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - 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.
65 or Better	1500	R-4.8	2 / 11 TIE	2 / 11 TIE
All Grades	17	R-9.2	5 / 11	5 / 11
60 or Better	3	R-9.8	6 / 11 TIE	6 / 11 TIE

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.
65 or Better	1500
All Grades	17
60 or Better	3

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.
65 or Better	R-4.8
All Grades	R-9.2
60 or Better	R-9.8

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.
65 or Better	2 / 11 TIE
All Grades	5 / 11
60 or Better	6 / 11 TIE

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.
65 or Better	2 / 11 TIE
All Grades	5 / 11
60 or Better	6 / 11 TIE

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	PCGS MS67BN	"The Harlan P. Smith Collection," Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, May 1906, Lot 1120 - $6; Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman - "The George Roebling Collection," New Netherlands, June 1967, Lot 1244 - $575; Jon Hanson, sold privately in February 1974; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., sold privately on February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; RARCOA, July 18, 1997; "The Eugene H. Gardner Collection," Heritage Auctions, May 12, 2015, Lot 98029 – $158,625. S-295. Old Green Holder.
2	PCGS MS66BN	Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2009, Lot 1021 - $35,937.50. S-295.
3	PCGS MS65BN	Discovered in England; John Saunders, privately, November 1978 – $10; Jonathan Kern; Jeff Garrett; John West Dannreuther; Gordon J. Wrubel; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., by sale, January 1979; Eric Streiner, by sale, en bloc, via Stack’s, February 1992; Jay Parrino. As NGC MS66RB 957212-011. "The Foxfire Collection" (Claude E. Davis, MD), by sale, July 1994; Mack and D. Brent Pogue, October 2004. As PCGS MS65BN #32708439. “The D. Brent Pogue Collection,” Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, March 31, 2017, Lot 5139 – $70,500; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3063 – $45,600. S-295.
3	PCGS MS65BN	"The Joshua and Ally Walsh Collection of United States Coins," Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2006, Lot 3032 - $18,400; "The Joshua Collection," Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2008, Lot 1509 - $29,900; "The Jim O'Neal Collection of U.S. Type, Part One," Heritage Auctions, April 2014, Lot 5513 - $47,000. S-295.
5	PCGS MS64+BN	As "a nice Uncirculated Coin." Oscar J. Pearl, 1944 Fixed Price List; Stack’s, April 3, 1975, Lot 28 - $1,500; Gordon Gleitz, April 1996; “The Tom Reynolds Collection of Large Cents, Part I,” Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 330 - $31,200. As PCGS MS64+BN #33041121. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1067 – $26,400. S-295. Splash of light coppery color across the obverse and reverse.

#1 PCGS MS67BN

"The Harlan P. Smith Collection," Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman, May 1906, Lot 1120 - $6; Samuel Hudson & Henry Chapman - "The George Roebling Collection," New Netherlands, June 1967, Lot 1244 - $575; Jon Hanson, sold privately in February 1974; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., sold privately on February 23, 1992; Eric Streiner; RARCOA, July 18, 1997; "The Eugene H. Gardner Collection," Heritage Auctions, May 12, 2015, Lot 98029 – $158,625. S-295. Old Green Holder.

#2 PCGS MS66BN

Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2009, Lot 1021 - $35,937.50. S-295.

#3 PCGS MS65BN

Discovered in England; John Saunders, privately, November 1978 – $10; Jonathan Kern; Jeff Garrett; John West Dannreuther; Gordon J. Wrubel; R.E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., by sale, January 1979; Eric Streiner, by sale, en bloc, via Stack’s, February 1992; Jay Parrino. As NGC MS66RB 957212-011. "The Foxfire Collection" (Claude E. Davis, MD), by sale, July 1994; Mack and D. Brent Pogue, October 2004. As PCGS MS65BN #32708439. “The D. Brent Pogue Collection,” Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, March 31, 2017, Lot 5139 – $70,500; “The Arizona Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2022, Lot 3063 – $45,600. S-295.

#3 PCGS MS65BN

"The Joshua and Ally Walsh Collection of United States Coins," Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2006, Lot 3032 - $18,400; "The Joshua Collection," Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2008, Lot 1509 - $29,900; "The Jim O'Neal Collection of U.S. Type, Part One," Heritage Auctions, April 2014, Lot 5513 - $47,000. S-295.

#5 PCGS MS64+BN

As "a nice Uncirculated Coin." Oscar J. Pearl, 1944 Fixed Price List; Stack’s, April 3, 1975, Lot 28 - $1,500; Gordon Gleitz, April 1996; “The Tom Reynolds Collection of Large Cents, Part I,” Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2016, Lot 330 - $31,200. As PCGS MS64+BN #33041121. “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, August 6, 2020, Lot 1067 – $26,400. S-295. Splash of light coppery color across the obverse and reverse.