1802 Draped Bust Half Dime

The story of the 1802

Production at Philadelphia fell off a cliff in 1802. Only 3,060 were made, against 27,760 the year before. That drop is why the 1802 is the one people look for. In 1803 the figure was 37,850.

No other mint struck it for circulation that year, so every 1802 you find is from Philadelphia. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1796 (10,230) and the 1805 (15,600).

Of the 7 Draped Bust Half Dimes Philadelphia struck between 1796 and 1805, this is the scarcest. No Draped Bust Half Dime of the 1800s had a smaller run.

More on the 1802

The 1802 half dime is one of the great rarities of early American silver. Mint records list 3,060, but those records counted deliveries rather than dates and some specialists think far fewer were actually dated 1802. Only a few dozen are known. All were struck from a single pair of dies and the reverse die was also used for some half dimes of 1801 and 1803.

Collectors have chased the 1802 since the middle of the 1800s. Many famous collections were never able to add one. Known examples are typically circulated and the left side of the obverse often shows weakness on the stars and denticles. The coin is so valuable that any example must be authenticated by a grading service. Check whether the date could have been altered from 1800 or 1803 and compare the details with images of certified coins. Its neighbors were struck in far larger numbers, 27,760 in 1801 and 37,850 in 1803.

The 1802 rarity and the last early half dimes (1802 to 1805)

The 1802 half dime is one of the great rarities of early American silver. Mint records list 3,060, the lowest figure of the type. Only a few dozen are known. All were struck from a single pair of dies. Its reverse die was also used for some 1801 and 1803 half dimes. Collectors have prized the 1802 since the middle of the 1800s. Many major collections of the past never found one.

The Mint struck 37,850 half dimes in 1803, with Large 8 and Small 8 versions. No half dimes are dated 1804. The 15,600 coins of 1805 were the last half dimes for more than twenty years and are scarce, with most survivors in circulated grades. Mint figures of this time record deliveries by year rather than the date on the coins. Some specialists believe far fewer than 3,060 half dimes actually bear the 1802 date.

Because the 1802 is so valuable, any example needs expert authentication. Check that the date has not been altered from another year. For the 1803, compare the size of the 8 with the other digits. With no denomination on these coins, size is the quickest clue: a half dime is about 16.5 millimeters across, noticeably smaller than a dime of the same years. The half dime did not return until 1829, when William Kneass's Capped Bust design brought it back.