1810 1C, BN AG3 PCGS号1549

Ron Guth

The 1810 Large Cent is a fairly common date in the Classic Head series that ran from 1808 to 1814.  Collectors should have no trouble finding a circulated example, though the focus should be on problem-free coins with nice color and surfaces.  Locating Mint State coins is an expensive proposition, as they are eagerly sought by both type and variety collectors.  PCGS has certified just over two dozen Mint State 1810 Large Cents, mostly in Brown and mostly in PCGS MS63.  Red-Brown examples are exceedingly rare, led by the PCGS MS67RB example that sold out of the Eugene Gardner collection in 2014 for a record $99,875.  No full Red 1810 Large Cents have been seen or reported.

The four die varieties that make up the entire mintage of the 1810 Large Cent come in a variety of die states, which are of importance to collectors.  Early states tend to be sharp and nicely detailed, but as the dies wear, the design elements become weak and the overall appearance becomes mushy.  Thus, two high-grade 1810 Large Cents in different die states but of the identical, technical grade can look entirely different.  Variety specialists understand these differences, whereas type collectors tend to prefer the early die state coins and their sharper details.