1829 Proof

The 1829 proof large cent was struck during the first year of Andrew Jackson's presidency. Jackson took office in March 1829, and his administration brought sweeping changes to federal appointments, including at the Mint. The incoming administration's "rotation in office" policy meant that Mint positions were subject to political turnover, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty among staff. Through all of this, the small-scale production of proof coins continued as it had for years: by individual arrangement, using polished dies and selected planchets, one coin at a time.

The 1829 cents introduced a change in reverse lettering size that created the Large Letters and Medium Letters varieties seen on circulation strikes. Proof examples may correspond to either lettering style, and identifying the die marriage is part of the attribution process for any 1829 proof. The coin preserves the Coronet Head design with full reflective fields and complete device detail, a level of preservation that vanished within weeks on coins that entered commerce. Surviving examples are extremely rare, likely fewer than five.