1796 United States 1/2 Dollar Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar brings anywhere from its melt value to well into four figures. Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
1796 United States 1/2 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|
Estimated retail range. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
How much is a 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar worth today?
The market for the 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar is driven by condition above all.
1796 United States 1/2 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1796
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 12.93 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
No mint mark? Here is why
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (varies by series) is simply blank.
Why the 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar is worth money
Documented examples of the 1796 United States 1/2 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.
Context adds the final layer to the 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. 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 United States 1/2 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY 1796
Liberty head r., hair flowing
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
eagle, wings spread, head l.
Measured 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar specimens
2 physically measured 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 12.93 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar #1 | 12.93 g | 32.5 mm | - | Overton.1795.104, Breen.4560 |
| 1796 United States 1/2 Dollar #2 | 13.818 g | 24 mm | - | Breen.4565.t |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.