1819 1C Small Date, BN MS63BN Certification #26863510, PCGS #1606

Ron Guth

Experts have identified three major varieties on 1819 Large Cents: 1819/8 overdate; Large Date; and Small Date.  The size difference between the Small and Large Dates is immediately apparent on direct comparison, but if only one coin is available, use the attribution image above.  

According to the PCGS Population Report (as of August 2011), the Large Date is approximately 50% more common that the Small Date (though this is based on a small sample).  The vast majority of 1819 Small Date Cents fall into the Brown category.  Red-Brown Mint State examples are scarce but not rare.  Full Red examples are exceedingly scarce.  The finest 1819 Small Date Large Cent certified by PCGS is a single MS-66 Red-Brown.  The ONLY Red examples certified by PCGS is a lone MS-64 Red.

Most of the Mint State 1819 Large Cents that have entered the market in recent years are from the incomparable Large Cent collection assembled by Ted Natzger.