The 1817 cent with 15 stars has long been a classic of the middle date series, and though it is not rare, the demand for it has generated strong prices for the finest examples. A case in point may be found in the Henry C. Miller sale of 1917, an offering loaded with superb coppers. The "Unc. Partly red" 15-Star cent brought $16 while the five lots leading up to this one, all Uncirculated 1817 cents, three of which were called "Partly red" to "Bright red" and one with "Proof surface," sold for $8.75, combined. Large cents have always been one of the most avidly collected series in American numismatics, a tradition that began in the 1850s. Just ten examples of the 1817 15-Star cent have been graded as Mint State by PCGS, which is precious few coins considering the popularity of the series.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the D. Brent Pogue Part V Auction, where it realized $76,375.