1796 Draped Bust Dollar Value
Today a 1796 Draped Bust Dollar typically sells for $53.00 to $2,471, with condition doing most of the work, and its metal content alone is worth $28.24 as of 2026-06-01 The figures below break the range down grade by grade.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1796 Draped Bust Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $28.24 |
| Good (G-4) | $53.00 to $77.50 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $67.00 to $99.00 |
| Fine (F-12) | $86.50 to $127 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $120 to $177 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $180 to $265 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $264 to $388 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $408 to $600 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $720 to $1,059 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $1,680 to $2,471 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
What is the 1796 Draped Bust Dollar selling for today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1796 Draped Bust Dollar starts around $53.00. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $2,471. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1796 Draped Bust Dollar specifications
- Series
- Draped Bust Dollar
- Year
- 1796
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 89.2% silver, 10.8% copper
- Weight
- 26.96 g
- Diameter
- 40 mm
- Edge
- Lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT
- Designer
- Robert Scot
- Silver content
- 0.77370 troy oz
Reading a coin with no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1796 Draped Bust Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (None, all were struck at Philadelphia) is simply blank.
What makes the 1796 Draped Bust Dollar valuable
Documented examples of the 1796 Draped Bust Dollar in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
Every 1796 Draped Bust Dollar contains 0.7737 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $28.24. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1796 Draped Bust Dollar. The Draped Bust dollar carried the young republic's silver abroad, so effectively that exported and melted coins forced President Jefferson to halt dollar production entirely in 1804, a suspension that lasted three decades. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1796 Draped Bust Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
********* LIBERTY ******* (date)
Liberty bust r.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 1/2
eagle, wings spread, head r. within wreath
Measured 1796 Draped Bust Dollar specimens
8 physically measured 1796 Draped Bust Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 26.96 g, 40 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #1 | 26.6 g | 39.5 mm | - | Bolender.1796.1, Breen.5368 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #2 | 26.669 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1796.4, Breen.5370 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #3 | 26.767 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1796.5, Breen.5371 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #4 | 26.932 g | 39.25 mm | - | Bolender.1796.4, Breen.5370 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #5 | 26.778 g | 39.25 mm | - | Bolender.1796.5a, Breen.5371 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Overton.1796.102, Breen.4566 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #7 | - | - | - | Bolender.1796.2, Breen.5368 |
| 1796 Draped Bust Dollar #8 | 26.84 g | 39 mm | - | Bolender.1796.1, Breen.5368 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1796 Draped Bust Dollar is valued between $53.00 and $2,471 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.