Matron Head Large Cents
Draped Bust Large Cents
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Matron Head Large Cents (1816-1839)
Images courtesy of David Akers Numismatics, Inc.
Braided Hair Large Cents (1839-1857)
Images courtesy of Early American History Auctions ...
1816, CORONET, MATRON HEAD, Newcomb-1A, Fine-12, R-5-6. A Rare variety in a decent grade. Better than average surface, medium brown and without any serious problems.
Boldly overstruck on a Matron Head federal copper cent of the 1830s; very rare at the very least. First seen by the cataloguer. - These are very mysterious tokens, as Tom DeLorey pointed out, and little is known about them.
Charitably dubbed the "matron head" design by latter-day numismatists, this abomination was representative of a period when all U.S. coin designs were mediocre at best.
VINTAGE COINS/LARGE CENTS/CORONET TYPE/MATRON HEAD/1853
Huge Lot Large Cents 41 Coins All For 1 Bid 1816-1856!!
1832 CORONET HEAD LARGE COPPER CENT NICE FINE CONDITION ...
The Matron Head design appeared in 1816 and lasted until 1839. The final design type is the Braided Hair type of 1840 to 1857. In 1857, the Large Cent was replaced by the new Small Cent that we know today.
And to make things even more crazy, the Coronet Head quarter-eagle obverse does NOT look identical to the Coronet Head (or Matron Head) large cent of 1816-39.
Some collectors prefer "Matron Head." Dr. William Sheldon, author of the standard reference for cents struck from 1793 to 1814, scathingly remarked that the figure of Liberty on these coins "resembled the head of an obese ward boss instead of a lady.
In the field of copper coinage, the Classic Head is found on half cents beginning in 1809 and large cents in 1808, to be followed in the latter series by the so-called Matron Head produced from 1816 onward.
From the "Liberty in a fright" of the Chain cents through the Classic Head's "fat mistress" to the "obese ward boss" of the Matron Head, criticism never ceased. Now Gobrecht was faced with the same for his "Silly" and "Booby" head cents of 1839.
 See also: Large cent, Large Cents, Cent, Reverse, Mint
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