How to Identify the 1793 Wreath Cent

What It Is

The 1793 Wreath Cent replaced the Chain Cent partway through the year after public objections to the earlier chain reverse. It kept the same general obverse portrait style while introducing a wreath reverse that would set the template for large cents for decades to follow.

Obverse Design

Liberty faces right with flowing hair, LIBERTY above, and 1793 below. The portrait on the Wreath Cent is generally regarded as somewhat more refined in proportion than the Chain Cent obverse that came just before it, though it still carries the hand-engraved character typical of the Mint's earliest work.

Reverse Design

A wreath of leafy sprigs encircles ONE CENT and the fraction 1/100, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the border. This wreath format proved far more publicly acceptable than the chain design it replaced.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

The coin is struck in pure copper at the earlier 1793 weight standard, roughly 208 grains (about 13.48 grams), with a diameter in the high 20s of millimeters. Two distinct edge treatments exist for this type: a vine-and-bars edge design and a lettered edge, and identifying which edge a coin has is an important step in attributing its specific variety.

Mint Marks

No mint mark appears on this coin, as it was produced only at the original Philadelphia Mint in 1793.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The leafy wreath reverse clearly separates this coin from the chain-link reverse of its immediate predecessor. Among Wreath Cent varieties, specialists recognize an extremely rare variant with an unusual leaf shape on the obverse, sometimes called the "Strawberry Leaf" variety, which is among the great rarities of American numismatics; ordinary Wreath Cents show the standard leaf style. Compared to the Liberty Cap Cent introduced later in 1793, the Wreath Cent's obverse lacks the cap-and-pole motif behind Liberty's shoulder.

Judging Condition

As with other 1793 issues, look at the sharpness of the wreath leaves, the readability of LIBERTY, and the clarity of the date. Striking irregularities and planchet marks from the era's hand-operated equipment are common and should be considered separately from actual circulation wear.

Authenticity Notes

Because early Wreath Cent varieties, and especially the rare leaf variety, carry significant historical and numismatic importance, they have long been targets for counterfeiting, including cast copies and coins with altered details. Red flags include a grainy or pitted cast-like surface, a seam near the rim, a diameter or weight that falls outside documented genuine ranges, and design details inconsistent with the known dies for this issue.