1851/81 Penny, BN (Regular Strike): Value Chart, Auction Price & Comprehensive Analysis

As of May, 2024, a 1851/81 Penny, BN in circulated condition is worth between $22.00 and $550.00, while an uncirculated specimen can be valued between $650.00 and $7,500.00, depending on its grade and strike quality.

Looking back at auction records, the highest price was achieved by a Mint State grade that was hammered at $5,750.00 in the 07/30/2008 by renowned auctioneer Heritage Auctions, showcasing the allure of top-tier rarities.

Designer: Christian Gobrecht

Edge: Plain

Diameter: 27.50 millimeters

Weight: 10.89 grams

Mintage: 9,889,707

Mint: Philadelphia

Metal: Copper

Series: Coronet Head Cents 1816-1857

1851/81 Penny, Bn (Regular Strike) – Price Chart

If you are aware of your coin’s grade, refer to the following chart to determine its value:

Grade	Price($)
MS-66+	7,500.00
MS-66	6,250.00
MS-65+	4,350.00
MS-65	4,000.00
MS-64+	2,250.00
MS-64	1,750.00
MS-63+	1,500.00
MS-63	1,400.00
MS-62+	1,000.00
MS-62	950.00
MS-61	750.00
MS-60	650.00
AU-58+	550.00
AU-58	525.00
AU-55+	475.00
AU-55	450.00
AU-53+	400.00
AU-53	385.00
AU-50+	350.00
AU-50	325.00
XF-45+	300.00
XF-45	285.00
XF-40	265.00
VF-35	235.00
VF-30	210.00
VF-25	200.00
VF-20	165.00
F-15	140.00
F-12	110.00
VG-10	90.00
VG-8	80.00
G-6	60.00
G-4	55.00
AG-3	35.00
FR-2	22.00

If you are unsure of the grade, you can assess it based on the coin’s condition. More detailed information here.

Grade	Lowest Price($)	Highest Price($)	Average Price($)
Mint State	650.00	7,500.00	2,695.83
About Uncirculated	325.00	550.00	432.50
Extremely Fine	265.00	300.00	283.33
Fine and Very Fine	110.00	235.00	176.67
Good and Very Good	55.00	90.00	71.25
Poor, Fair, and About Good	22.00	35.00	28.50

Please note that the estimated values are derived from the latest data in the PCGS Price Guide and are not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. We strongly recommend reviewing actual auction records, which can be filtered by grade. For further insights, refer to our analysis report, which is based on these data.

Also, there are multiple versions of the 1851 Braided Hair Cent. We recommend checking the values of these coins as well to ensure a comprehensive assessment.

Coin Name	Min Circulated Price($)	Max Circulated Price($)	Min Uncirculated Price($)	Max Uncirculated Price($)
1851 Penny, BN (Regular Strike)	20.00	225.00	235.00	7,150.00
1851 Penny, RB (Regular Strike)	N/A	N/A	275.00	9,000.00
1851 Penny, RD (Regular Strike)	N/A	N/A	900.00	24,000.00
1851 Penny Newcomb 4, BN (Regular Strike)	35.00	250.00	275.00	1,750.00
1851/81 Penny, RB (Regular Strike)	N/A	N/A	1,500.00	9,500.00
1851/81 Penny, RD (Regular Strike)	N/A	N/A	5,000.00	20,000.00
1851/81 Penny Newcomb 3, BN (Regular Strike)	40.00	600.00	725.00	7,650.00
1851/81 Penny Newcomb 3, RB (Regular Strike)	N/A	N/A	1,600.00	10,500.00

Coins listed have various mint marks and designations indicating where they were minted and if they are special strikes. To learn more about what the different mint marks and designations mean, please refer to our Mint Mark Chart and Coin Designation Reference Chart.

1851/81 Penny, Bn (Regular Strike) – Auction Chart & Report

This tool is very user-friendly. Simply select the coin grade, and our system will provide detailed information including:

Lowest Sale Price
Highest Sale Price
Average Sale Price
Most Recent Sale Price
Number of Sales
Sales Volume

You can also select different time periods for your query: 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, or All time, with the default set to All time.

Grade:

Find On eBay

$1,208.00

Lowest Sale Price

$4,313.00

Highest Sale Price

$1,912.50

Average Sale Price

$3,120.00

Most Recent Sale Price

Number of Sales

$43,987.50

Sales Volume

Grade Impact Analysis

Grade	Lowest Price($)	Highest Price($)	Average Price($)
MS-66+	4,920.00	4,920.00	4,920.00
MS-66	1,840.00	5,750.00	3,880.75
MS-65+	1,208.00	4,313.00	1,912.50
MS-65	2,880.00	4,465.00	3,672.50
MS-64	646.00	1,438.00	1,082.08
MS-63	495.00	1,610.00	933.63
MS-62+	701.00	763.75	732.38
MS-62	460.00	748.00	622.57
MS-60	456.00	1,092.00	774.00
AU-58+	1,380.00	1,380.00	1,380.00
AU-58	278.00	863.00	481.71
AU-55+	384.00	384.00	384.00
AU-55	329.00	381.88	355.44
AU-53	219.00	219.00	219.00
AU-50	115.00	207.00	161.00
XF-45+	210.00	240.00	222.00
XF-45	207.00	374.00	257.48
XF-40	123.38	270.00	189.27
VF-35	153.00	384.00	215.50
VF-30	94.00	192.00	155.60
VF-20	99.00	99.00	99.00
VG-8	27.00	27.00	27.00
PO-1	374.00	374.00	374.00

The chart shows the min and max prices for the 1851/81 Penny, BN (Regular Strike) coin across various grades from PO-1 to MS-66+. The prices generally increase as the grade improves, with MS-66 having the highest max price $5,750.00.

Within each grade, there is also variability in prices, likely due to factors like specific coin characteristics or market conditions at time of sale. Overall, the chart illustrates how coin grade is a key driver of value for this particular 1851/81 Penny, BN (Regular Strike).

Auction House Comparison

The pie chart breaks down the market share of various auction houses for selling the 1851/81 Penny, BN (Regular Strike) coin. Heritage Auctions dominates with 66.36% share, followed by Superior Galleries / Bowers & Merena with 6.36% / 6.36% appearances respectively..

Price Trend Over Time

The graph presents a detailed analysis of the average annual auction sale price and frequency for the 1851/81 Penny, BN (Regular Strike) coin over the years. This visual representation traces the coin's value fluctuations, illustrating periods of increase, decrease, or stability in its average auction price.

Such a historical view is indispensable for collectors, investors, or researchers who are keen on comprehending the market dynamics and the coin's value trend over an extended period.

Raw Auction Records

Here are the lasted auction records from the auction history of the past years. You can filter these records by coin grade.

Grade	Grade Source	Seller	Price($)	Sold Date
MS-60	PCGS	Stack's Bowers	456.00	08/24/2023
VF-35	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	384.00	05/30/2023
VF-30	PCGS	David Lawrence RC	185.00	04/16/2023
VF-35	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	180.00	02/27/2023
XF-45+	ANACS	David Lawrence RC	210.00	02/26/2023
AU-58+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	1,380.00	11/02/2022
MS-66	NGC	Heritage Auctions	4,560.00	04/25/2021
VF-30	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	192.00	04/21/2021
MS-66+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	4,920.00	08/09/2020
AU-58	PCGS	Stack's Bowers	360.00	05/20/2020
VF-35	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	156.00	02/19/2020
XF-45+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	240.00	02/05/2020
AU-55+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	384.00	08/14/2019
MS-65+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	3,120.00	04/28/2019
MS-62+	PCGS	David Lawrence RC	701.00	12/30/2018
XF-45+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	216.00	04/24/2018
AU-58	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	432.00	04/24/2018
VF-30	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	180.00	03/06/2018
MS-63	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	840.00	02/22/2018
MS-64	NGC	Goldberg Auctioneers	646.00	02/19/2018
XF-40	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	204.00	11/07/2017
MS-65	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	2,880.00	11/02/2017
XF-40	PCGS	David Lawrence RC	225.00	08/14/2017
XF-40	PCGS	Stack's Bowers	164.50	06/21/2017
AU-58	NONE	Goldberg Auctioneers	646.00	06/05/2017
MS-66	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	3,995.00	10/03/2016
VF-35	NONE	Goldberg Auctioneers	259.00	09/05/2016
XF-40	NONE	Goldberg Auctioneers	270.00	09/05/2016
MS-62+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	763.75	08/10/2016
MS-65	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	4,465.00	06/08/2016
MS-66	PCGS	David Lawrence RC	5,500.00	05/15/2016
MS-64	PCGS	Goldberg Auctioneers	1,410.00	09/14/2015
MS-64	PCGS	Scotsman	1,208.00	07/24/2015
AU-55	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	329.00	06/07/2015
XF-45	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	217.38	04/05/2015
MS-62	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	705.00	10/08/2014
XF-40	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	123.38	08/04/2014
MS-65+	NGC	Heritage Auctions	1,762.50	06/23/2014
XF-40	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	188.00	06/04/2014
AU-55	NGC	Heritage Auctions	381.88	02/27/2014
MS-65+	NGC	Heritage Auctions	1,645.00	01/10/2014
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	940.00	07/11/2013
AU-58	NGC	Heritage Auctions	382.00	07/11/2013
MS-63	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	881.00	07/11/2013
VF-35	NGC	Heritage Auctions	153.00	07/08/2013
XF-45	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	259.00	09/06/2012
MS-63	PCGS	Stack's Bowers	940.00	08/04/2012
MS-62	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	748.00	04/18/2012
MS-65+	NGC	Heritage Auctions	2,013.00	01/03/2012
XF-45	NGC	Heritage Auctions	374.00	11/08/2011
VF-30	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	94.00	09/12/2011
MS-65+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	4,313.00	09/07/2011
MS-66	NGC	Heritage Auctions	3,881.00	07/07/2011
MS-62	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	719.00	07/07/2011
MS-65+	NGC	Stack's Bowers	2,645.00	03/31/2011
MS-62	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	690.00	03/17/2011
VF-30	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	127.00	01/24/2011
MS-65+	NGC	Bowers & Merena	1,864.00	01/03/2011
VF-20	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	99.00	08/23/2010
XF-45	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	230.00	08/11/2010
MS-65+	NGC	Bowers & Merena	1,725.00	06/17/2010
MS-64	PCGS	Scotsman	1,380.00	02/12/2010
PO-1	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	374.00	01/06/2010
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	863.00	03/01/2009
MS-63	PCGS	Bowers & Merena	1,035.00	11/01/2008
VG-8	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	27.00	09/22/2008
MS-66	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	5,750.00	07/30/2008
AU-50	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	207.00	04/28/2008
MS-62	NGC	Heritage Auctions	518.00	10/02/2007
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	1,121.00	08/27/2007
MS-64	NGC	Bowers & Merena	1,438.00	06/28/2007
AU-58	NGC	Heritage Auctions	411.00	05/23/2007
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	978.00	05/01/2007
MS-60	NONE	Superior Galleries	1,092.00	02/01/2007
MS-65+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	1,725.00	01/01/2007
VF-35	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	161.00	09/19/2006
MS-62	PCGS	David Lawrence RC	460.00	06/26/2006
MS-66	NGC	Bowers & Merena	2,990.00	05/26/2006
XF-45	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	207.00	04/30/2006
MS-65+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	2,070.00	04/26/2006
MS-62	NGC	Heritage Auctions	518.00	02/09/2006
AU-50	NCS	Heritage Auctions	161.00	01/30/2006
XF-40	NCS	Heritage Auctions	150.00	01/30/2006
AU-58	NGC	Heritage Auctions	278.00	01/30/2006
MS-66	NGC	Heritage Auctions	2,530.00	01/01/2006
MS-65+	NGC	American Numismatic Rarities	1,610.00	03/08/2005
MS-66	NGC	Superior Galleries	1,840.00	01/11/2005
MS-63	NGC	Heritage Auctions	495.00	08/23/2004
MS-65+	PCGS	Bowers & Merena	1,898.00	08/14/2004
MS-65+	NGC	Bowers & Merena	1,725.00	07/08/2004
MS-65+	NGC	Stack's/ANR	1,668.00	06/23/2004
MS-65+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	1,955.00	05/05/2004
MS-65+	NGC	Heritage Auctions	1,553.00	05/05/2004
MS-65+	NGC	Superior Galleries	1,208.00	01/25/2004
MS-65+	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	1,783.00	11/26/2003
MS-65+	NGC	Stack's	1,725.00	10/16/2003
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	1,208.00	08/06/2003
MS-65+	NGC	Superior Galleries	1,265.00	02/24/2003
MS-65+	NGC	Goldberg Auctioneers	1,955.00	02/24/2003
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	1,265.00	01/08/2003
MS-65+	PCGS	Kingswood Galleries	1,380.00	10/03/2002
MS-65+	NGC	Superior Galleries	1,380.00	08/01/2002
AU-53	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	219.00	05/08/2002
MS-64	NONE	Heritage Auctions	805.00	04/01/2002
MS-64	NGC	Heritage Auctions	805.00	08/08/2001
MS-63	NONE	Superior Galleries	1,610.00	05/27/2001
MS-63	NONE	Heritage Auctions	748.00	04/05/2001
AU-58	NONE	Superior Galleries	863.00	02/17/2001
MS-63	NONE	Heritage Auctions	920.00	01/08/2000
AU-50	ANACS	Heritage Auctions	115.00	01/08/2000