1796 Draped Bust Half Dollar

About This Coin

The 1796 Draped Bust Half Dollar is a United States half dollar from the Draped Bust Half Dollars 1796-1807 series — the first year of the series. In 1796, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 1,868. This represents the lowest annual mintage in the entire series, below the series median of 203,379. The obverse features Liberty facing right with draped bust and ribbon-bound hair, designed after a Gilbert Stuart portrait and the reverse displays a small, naturalistic eagle perched on a palm branch within a wreath (1796-1797) or a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons, with a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM (1801-1807). First year of the Draped Bust Half Dollar. Only 3,918 struck with the small eagle reverse — a legendary rarity. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 13.48 grams, 32.5 mm in diameter, with a lettered: fifty cents or half a dollar edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $45K to $726K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $823K in MS66 grade at Stack's Bowers. Designed by Robert Scot/John Eckstein.