Braided Hair Cent:

By 1835, US Mint engraver Christian Gobrecht had redesigned the portrait on the obverse the Large Cent. Miss Liberty now had a younger and more youthful appearance over her predecessor. In addition, there are four major varieties issued during this period with distinct differences. They are the 1839 Over 36 with Plain Cords, the 1839 – Head of 1838 with Beaded Cords, the Silly Head, and the Booby Head. These varieties are what drive collectors to collect by variety!

Gobrecht redesigned the 1839 Large Cent and he radically changed John Reich’s matronly Miss Liberty and gave her a younger, slimmer, more youthful style. Her hair was now braided into a bun on the back of her head. A crown or tiara with the word “LIBERTY” emblazoned on it was now on her head. With the current date below Miss Liberty, he placed 13 stars to surround her. The reverse remained unchanged except for very minor modifications.

Between 1840 and 1849, only proof coins were struck as the available supply of prior dated coins was sufficient to meet the demand. The US Mint kept striking coins for circulation dated 1850 to 1857 when the denomination was discontinued altogether in 1857. The Mint State examples of these coins are generally found in brown or red-brown color.