1843 Braided Hair Large Cent – Petite Head, Small Letters Variety

Mintage:
2,425,342

Notable Facts:

• This 1843 variety features the early Petite Head Liberty design introduced in 1840, identifiable by the narrower face and tighter hair bun, later replaced mid-year by the “Mature Head.”

• The Small Letters variety shows tighter spacing and reduced font size in the “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” legend, making it distinct among 1843 issues and popular with die variety collectors.

Description:
The 1843 Braided Hair Large Cent, Petite Head with Small Letters, is an important subtype from a transitional year in U.S. large cent production. Minted at Philadelphia with just over 2.4 million struck, this issue captures the final appearances of the earlier Liberty bust design before stylistic changes took hold later that same year. The coin offered here is raw, uncertified, and comes directly from a private collection. It retains its historical character and exhibits the diagnostic features of this early variety. All images are captured with a high-resolution lens to document the coin’s full surfaces and design detail.