1795 1C Flowing Hair Large Cent NGC VF Details

CVC & Collectables presents the 1795 Flowing Hair Large Cent, attributed to the Sheldon-76b variety, certified by NGC as VF Details with a note of environmental damage. Despite its imperfections, this coin is a remarkable survivor from the earliest years of the U.S. Mint, representing both the artistry and challenges of early American copper coinage.

Coin Highlights

• Issuer: United States of America

• Date: 1795

• Mint: Philadelphia (no mintmark)

• Denomination: One Cent (1¢)

• Variety: Sheldon-76b (Reverse with “Plain Edge” Lettering)

• Composition: Pure copper (≈100%)

• Weight: ~13.48 g (varies due to planchet irregularities)

• Diameter: ~27–29 mm

• Grade: NGC VF Details – Environmental Damage

• Obverse Design: Liberty with long flowing hair, facing right, LIBERTY above, date below.

• Reverse Design: Wreath encircling ONE CENT, legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around.

• Edge: Lettered ONE HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR

Historical Significance

• The Flowing Hair Large Cent series (1793–1796) marked the earliest era of U.S. coinage, produced entirely on hand-operated presses with irregular copper planchets.

• The 1795 issue, designed by Robert Scot, continued the long hair Liberty portrait introduced in 1794, just before transitioning to the Draped Bust design in 1796.

• Each variety, such as Sheldon-76b, has been extensively studied by early copper specialists, making these coins not just monetary artifacts but also subjects of numismatic scholarship.

Variety (S-76b)

• Sheldon-76b is one of the recognized die marriages for the 1795 cent.

• It is identifiable by specific reverse die characteristics, particularly the wreath style and edge lettering.

• Collectors of early coppers actively seek out Sheldon varieties, and the S-76b is a well-collected type in the Flowing Hair series.

Collectibility

• VF Details coins retain significant design detail, including strong Liberty hair strands and wreath definition, though environmental exposure has impacted the surfaces.

• The environmental damage is typical for early large cents, which often spent decades in the ground or exposed to harsh conditions.

• Even with its detail grade caveat, this coin remains highly collectible due to its age, rarity, and status as an early U.S. federal issue.

• A strong addition for Early American Copper (EAC) collectors, Sheldon variety specialists, or anyone seeking a genuine 18th-century U.S. cent.