1848 Braided Hair Half Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1848 Braided Hair Half Cent is a United States cent from the Braided Hair Half Cents 1840-1857 series — 9th of 18 years in the series. In 1848, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 45. This ranks 6th of 18 years by total mintage, below the series median of 56. The obverse features Liberty facing left with braided hair swept up and held by a beaded cord, wearing a headband inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a wreath enclosing ONE CENT. Multiple Newcomb die varieties. Production was strong. Struck in copper, weighing 5.44 grams, 23 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Estimated market value across variants is approximately $6.8K. A notable auction result reached $40K in PR65 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by Christian Gobrecht.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(2)
1848 Proof Braided Hair Half Cent - Original
1848 Proof Braided Hair Half Cent - Restrike
Other Base Coins in This Series
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