1829 Medium Letters

The 1829 Medium Letters variety uses slightly more compact letter punches for the reverse inscription compared to the Large Letters version. The distinction is consistent across coins from each die type and is identifiable with reference comparison. Both letter sizes are available for the 1829 date.

Andrew Jackson was inaugurated as the seventh President in March 1829, bringing a populist energy to Washington that upended established political norms. Jackson's supporters had flooded the capital for the inauguration, and the raucous celebration at the White House became legendary. The Mint, as a federal institution, fell under the new administration's authority. Jackson's "spoils system" of political appointments would eventually reach into the Mint's leadership, but in 1829 the daily work of striking copper cents continued as usual. The large cent remained essential to everyday commerce. A cent could buy a sheet of paper, a handful of nails, or passage on a short ferry ride. The coins wore down quickly in use, which is why most surviving 1829 cents show heavy circulation.