In 1793 the young United States made its first large penny, featuring a chain with fifteen links on the reverse and known to collectors as the chain cent. The coin was minted in small numbers, and its design was criticized as being both poorly done and confusing (the chain links, intended to represent the fifteen states that existed in America at the time, also looked to some like a reference to slavery, already a controversial issue).
Chain cents replaced the earlier fugio cents, and gave way to the subsequent wreath cents, also of 1793.
Examples of early chain cents for sale can be found in the marketplace today, though high-quality chain cents are harder to find and command higher prices. Check the current listings to see the chain cents for sale right now, including reproductions.
