1842 Proof

The 1842 proof large cent was struck on a hand press at the Philadelphia Mint for the small number of collectors who requested specimen coins. Production involved polishing the dies to a mirror finish and hand-selecting copper planchets with smooth, unblemished surfaces. Each coin was struck individually with extra pressure to bring up the full detail of Gobrecht's Braided Hair design.

Proof coinage in 1842 was not yet a commercial product. The Mint produced proofs on an informal, by-request basis. No catalog existed, no annual sets were offered, and no fixed price was advertised. A collector had to contact the Mint directly, often through personal connections or a letter to the director. The resulting coins survive in very small numbers. Each 1842 proof large cent is a product of individual attention at a time when the entire American coin collecting community could have fit in a single room.