1852

The 1852 large cent was produced in substantial quantity at the Philadelphia Mint. The coin weighs about 10.9 grams of pure copper, struck on a planchet 27.5 millimeters in diameter. By 1852, the Braided Hair design had been in continuous use for twelve years, and the Mint's production of large cents was a well-practiced routine. Dies were prepared, planchets were cut and rolled to proper thickness, and the coins were struck on steam-powered presses that had replaced the older screw presses for circulation production.

The early 1850s were boom years for the American economy. Gold from California was flowing into the monetary system, railroads were expanding westward, and commerce was growing. The large copper cent handled the smallest transactions: a newspaper, a candle, a few ounces of sugar. The 1852 is a standard late-series date, available in circulated grades from Good through Very Fine without difficulty. Higher grades exist but are progressively scarcer, as most surviving coins saw years of hard use before being pulled from circulation.