How to Identify the Draped Bust Large Cent

What It Is

The Draped Bust Large Cent was struck from 1796 to 1807, following the earlier Liberty Cap design. It uses a portrait style credited to Robert Scot that also appeared on Draped Bust silver coinage of the same period, giving the cent a more refined, classical look than its predecessors.

Obverse Design

Liberty is shown facing right in a draped bust, with fabric visible over her shoulder and her hair pulled back and tied with a ribbon. The word LIBERTY appears above her head, the date is below, and stars line the border, with the count varying by year depending on how many states were being represented at the time.

Reverse Design

The reverse shows a wreath, tied at the bottom with a ribbon bow, enclosing ONE CENT and, on most dates, the fraction 1/100. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" surrounds the wreath. Early 1796-1797 issues used a wreath style sometimes called the "reverse of 1794/1795," while a revised, sturdier wreath design was introduced and used through 1807.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

These cents are struck in pure copper, weigh about 10.89 grams (168 grains, the reduced standard adopted in 1795), and measure roughly 29mm in diameter. The edge is plain on nearly all dates in this series.

Mint Marks

There is no mint mark on any Draped Bust Large Cent. All were produced at the Philadelphia Mint, the only mint operating at the time.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The Draped Bust design is easy to distinguish from the earlier Liberty Cap cent (1793-1796), which shows Liberty with flowing, uncovered hair and a cap on a pole behind her rather than a draped shoulder. It differs from the later Classic Head cent (1808-1814) by the bust style: Draped Bust shows drapery over the shoulder and a ribbon-tied hairstyle, while Classic Head shows Liberty wearing a fillet or headband labeled LIBERTY with looser, flowing hair.

Judging Condition

Check the drapery folds over the shoulder, the hair detail near the ribbon, and the wreath leaves on the reverse; these are the first areas to soften with wear. A well-struck, lightly worn example will show clear separation between the hair strands and a readable LIBERTY, while a heavily worn coin often reduces the portrait to a smooth silhouette.

Authenticity Notes

Because these cents are over two centuries old, natural surface variations from age, toning, and old cleanings are common and are not necessarily signs of a fake. Be cautious of coins with an unnaturally sharp, glossy surface paired with soft or blurred design elements, which can indicate a cast reproduction rather than a genuine struck coin.