In 1881 the Heaton Mint created another Canadian Penny after a 5 year break from minting. The 1881 H Canadian Large cent is another great option for those looking to purchase or trade late 1800's Canadian coinage. You can usually purchase them for $3-$20 loose or in those classic white cardboard holders. If you're looking for something nicer the certified near mint state specimens with great luster and color will likely set you back a few hundred dollars however.
What are 1881 H Canadian Pennys worth? Average values for the Large Cent Queen Victoria Penny issued in 1881 vary from location to location but on average you can expect to see this coins listed price to be around $4.00 in poor condition and $1500.00 in a mint state. However, if you are selling to a dealer you can expect to get a reduced rate of between $3-$1125 as dealers have to make some sort of profit.
- Year: 1881
- Type: Large Cent Queen Victoria Penny
- Private Party Value: $4.00-$1500.00+
- Dealer Price: $3-$1125+
- Face Value: 0.01 CAD
- Produced: 2,000,000
- Shape: Round
About: As we stated above this coin is a good choice for those looking to pickup or trade late 1800s era Canadian coinage without paying too much. These coins are relatively speaking affordable as its reported that 2 million of them have been minted.
Obverse (front)
Latin inscription, "VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA. CANADA", which means Victoria, Queen by the Grace of God. Young Queen Victoria with laurel wreath in her hair.
Reverse (back)
ONCE CENT and the Date in a circle located center. 16 total maple leaves wind their way around the outermost circle.
Designer: Leonard Charles Wyon (Obverse), Leonard Charles Wyon (Reverse)
History Repeats Itself
A well known and popular saying for a good reason. One of the best predictors of a coin's value is its historic sales. Here are a few sales records for the 1881 H Canadian Penny. This may better give you an idea what your coin is worth.
| Sales Date | Coin | Grade | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-27 | 1881 H Canadian Penny | F | $4 (eBay) |
| 2020-02-27 | 1881 H Canadian Penny | MS62 BN | $312 (Heritage) |
| 2015-11-18 | 1881 H Canadian Penny | MS65 RD | $1,645 (Stacks Bowers) |
| 2024-04-20 | 1881 H Canadian Penny | MS63 RB | $288 (eBay) |
| 2023-12-03 | 1881 H Canadian Penny | MS64 BN | $149 (Heritage) |
| 2010-01-04 | 1881 H Canadian Penny | MS64 RB | $517 (Heritage) |
| Sales Date | Coin | Grade | Price |
Variations and Errors
Known variations include
- Red (RD) color variations are for some reason super rare. - one sold for $1,100 MS-65 RED
- Red Brown (RB) - These are not the absolute best in color but they seem to make up the majority of the higher end sales. As state before RD not readily available.
- Brown (BN) color variations are very affordable.
Where is the mint mark located? If the coin in question has a mint mark it will be at the bottom center of the reverse. Look for an H which stands for Heaton Mint located in Birmingham England. 
Important Dates:
1858,1876-H,1884,1891,1894,1908 C are rare semi-key, key, and general dates of interest to collectors.
The 1888 Canadian Penny, also known as the Canadian Large Cent or the Victoria Cent is a larger than normal 1c coin used in Canada but minted in England.
The 1884 Canadian Large Cent / Penny is considered an important and semi-key date to remember for collectors of Canadian Coinage for both the rather low mintage numbers and the fact that the coin no longer contains the H (Heaton) mint mark.
The 1882 H Canadian Large Cent featuring Queen Victoria represents the first bit of consistency as it was the first time that the Heaton Mint in Birmingham England produces these coins 2 straight consecutive years. Before 1882 the minting was spotty at best.
1859 was the second year of issuance for the Canadian Penny. Mintage numbers have been ramped up from 421k to over 9.5 million making these coins more readily attainable and not as rare. However this coin would not be minted again for another 17 years.
1859 was the second year of issuance for the Canadian Penny. Mintage numbers have been ramped up from 421k to over 9.5 million making these coins more readily attainable and not as rare. However this coin would not be minted again for another 17 years.
