1856 Large Cent - 1856 1 Cent, Slanted 5, NGC MS65 BN CAC. Original mint red outlines the devices on the obverse of this Gem 1856 Large Cent, which is tied for the finest known at NGC and CAC. The red-chocolate brown surfaces are clean and hard. The color proves the coins originality. No abrasions are visible without the aid of magnification, and there are no planchet laminations, which are often found on coins of the 1850s. The strike is extremely strong. There are full details on the centers of the stars, the front of the coronet, Libertys hair, and the reverse leaves. This eye-appealing piece comes with a CAC sticker that indicates it is a premium quality coin that fully merits the grade assigned.

Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the coin shows Liberty facing left in profile. She wears a LIBERTY inscribed coronet and her hair is tied in beads. She is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed stars with the date below. The reverse shows a closed wreath of laurel within which is the denomination written on two lines as ONE CENT. Around the wreath is the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Dentils are on both sides of the coin, and the edge is plain.

Gobrecht became the third Chief Engraver at the United States Mint. He was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1785. His father was a German immigrant, and his mother traced her ancestry to the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Gobrecht married Mary Hewes in 1818. One of his early positions was as an engraver of clocks in Baltimore. Later he went to Philadelphia where he became a banknote engraver. He invented a machine that allowed one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration. In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to William Kneass. After Kneass suffered a debilitating stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif, which was used for all denominations of silver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and silver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle. 

Beginning in 1844, the reverse lettering on Large Cents was made larger. The result is that the later cents are less delicate in their appearance than the earlier ones. Many of these coins remained in circulation in the United States until late in the 1850s. In the eastern part of Canada, they circulated through the 1860s. Many examples seen today are heavily worn because of their use in commerce.

In its population report, NGC has certified 7 1856 Large Cents with Slanted 5 in MS65 BN condition with none finer. As of July 2013, CAC has confirmed 5 in MS65 BN with none higher.