1826 US Coins: Values & Mintages

The Mint in the 1820s

Robert Scot, engraver since 1793, died in 1823 and William Kneass succeeded him the following year. Samuel Moore became director in 1824. The half dollar was the workhorse of the decade: banks used it as their main reserve coin and many millions were struck and stored rather than spent, which is why Capped Bust halves of the 1820s are still relatively easy to find.

Cents were coined in the hundreds of thousands to low millions each year, still from imported copper planchets. Gold coins continued to leave the country because their gold was worth more abroad than their face value at home. The close collar, a ring that holds the planchet during striking and gives coins a uniform diameter and a crisp rim, came into use late in the decade on the smaller silver coins.

How many coins were made in 1826

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 5,521,605 coins dated 1826 across 2 issues. That is close to the 1825 total of 4,814,266. In 1827 the figure rose to 9,070,132.

It was the biggest year since 1820.

Every circulation coin on this page came from Philadelphia.

Those coins held about 1,548,659 troy ounces of pure silver.

1826 coins by denomination

Cents: 1,517,425 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent, up 3.9% on 1825.

Half Dollars: 4,004,180 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dollar, up 36% on 1825.

Every 1826 circulation issue at a glance

• 1826 Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: 1,517,425 struck, 6th lowest of 24 in the series, similar to 1825.
• 1826 Capped Bust Half Dollar: 4,004,180 struck, more than 76% of the series' 35 issues, up from 2,943,166 in 1825.

Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: Scarce dates of the early 1820s

Production dropped sharply in 1821 to only 389,000, in the slow economy that followed the Panic of 1819, making 1821 one of the harder dates of the type in higher grades. Output recovered to more than 2 million in 1822, yet the Mint reported no separate figure for 1823. Cents of that date are scarce. Both the 1823 and the 1823/2 overdate are considered keys.

Watch for restrikes: a discarded 1823 obverse die was later used outside the Mint to strike unofficial pieces, so an 1823 needs careful attribution before it is treated as an original. Overdates continue with the 1824/2 and the 1826/5, created when the Mint updated old dies instead of making new ones. By 1827 annual output passed 2.3 million again. Survivors from this period range widely in quality, but many show even wear and the medium brown color typical of the Coronet type.

See every Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent →

Capped Bust Half Dollar: Peak lettered edge production

From 1825 the Mint struck about three to more than six million halves a year, reaching 6,412,004 in 1834. These high mintages make the dates of the late 1820s and early 1830s the most available Capped Bust halves and the usual choice for a type set. The lettered edge still reads FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR.

Varieties are plentiful. The 1828 has curled and square base 2 dates with large and small letters on the reverse. The 1830 comes with a small or large 0 and the 1832 with small or large letters. Collectors identify individual die pairs using the numbering system published by Al C. Overton. Coins of these years are often found with original toning in Fine to About Uncirculated, though cleaned and polished pieces are common.

See every Capped Bust Half Dollar →