1 Cent "Liberty Head One Cent" · “Liberty Head One Cent”

The 1881 Liberty Head Cent — the penny America almost minted

In 1881 the U.S. Mint designed three coins to match — a cent, a three-cent, and a five-cent piece, all wearing the same head of Liberty. The five-cent became the famous V nickel. The cent was rejected and nearly forgotten. A dozen or so survive.