1832 US Coins: Values & Mintages

The Mint in the 1830s

A new, larger Mint building opened in Philadelphia in 1833 at Chestnut and Juniper streets. Steam power arrived in 1836, allowing much faster and more uniform striking. The Coinage Act of 1834 cut the gold content of US gold coins so they would stop being exported and the Act of 1837 standardized silver coins at 90% silver.

Christian Gobrecht joined the Mint as engraver and designed the Seated Liberty figure that would appear on silver coins for more than half a century. Gold discoveries in Georgia and North Carolina led Congress to authorize branch mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega and a third at New Orleans, in 1835. All three began striking coins in 1838.

How many coins were made in 1832

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 8,966,500 coins dated 1832 across 5 issues. That is 23% fewer than in 1831 (11,644,970). In 1833 the figure rose to 9,956,000.

Every circulation coin on this page came from Philadelphia.

Those coins held about 1,995,025 troy ounces of pure silver.

1832 coins by denomination

Cents: 2,362,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent, down 30% on 1831.

Dimes: 522,500 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Dime, down 32% on 1831.

Quarters: 320,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Quarter, down 20% on 1831.

Half Dollars: 4,797,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dollar, down 18% on 1831.

Odd Denominations: 965,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dime, down 22% on 1831.

Every 1832 circulation issue at a glance

• 1832 Capped Bust Quarter: 320,000 struck, more than 71% of the series' 18 issues, similar to 1831.
• 1832 Capped Bust Dime: 522,500 struck, more than 58% of the series' 20 issues, down from 771,350 in 1831.
• 1832 Capped Bust Half Dime: 965,000 struck, 2nd lowest of 9 in the series, down from 1,242,700 in 1831.
• 1832 Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: 2,362,000 struck, more than 52% of the series' 24 issues, down from 3,359,260 in 1831.
• 1832 Capped Bust Half Dollar: 4,797,000 struck, more than 82% of the series' 35 issues, similar to 1831.

Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: Date and letter size varieties

Mintages stayed between roughly 1.4 and 3.4 million each year as commerce expanded. This is a period of small but collectible changes in the punches: the 1828 has a Large Narrow Date and a Small Wide Date, while the 1829 comes with large letters and medium letters on the reverse. The 1834 combines large or small 8 with large or small stars in several pairings.

Collectors usually identify these cents by Newcomb numbers, from Howard Newcomb's reference on cents from 1816 to 1857. Proofs continue in tiny numbers and are rarities for every date. Better made planchets mean circulated coins from these years often look smoother than earlier Coronets. The dentils and stars tend to be sharper. Uncirculated pieces are scarce for most dates in this group, since there was no large hoard as with the earlier years.

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Capped Bust Quarter: Smaller quarters from a close collar

In 1831 William Kneass reworked Reich's design for striking in a close collar, cutting the diameter to about 24.3 mm and dropping the scroll with E PLURIBUS UNUM from the reverse. The close collar gave every coin a uniform size and a beaded border in place of the old denticles. The 1831 comes in small letter and large letter reverses.

Output climbed to 1,952,000 in 1835, the largest of the type. The 1833 and 1834 include an O over F error in the word OF on the reverse. The Act of January 18, 1837 changed the standard to 90 percent silver with a weight of 6.68 grams, though the coins look the same. In 1838 the Seated Liberty quarter replaced this design partway through the year. Small-size quarters are the easiest Capped Bust quarters to find in Very Fine and better grades.

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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.

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Capped Bust Dime: Steady output and the end of the type

The reduced size dime settled into a steady rhythm. Philadelphia struck 522,500 in 1832, 485,000 in 1833 and 635,000 in 1834. The 1833 includes a Last 3 High variety, where the final digit sits higher than the others. The 1834 comes with Small 4 and Large 4. Production then reached its highest point, with 1,410,000 in 1835 and 1,190,000 in 1836.

In 1837 the Mint struck 359,500 Capped Bust dimes before Christian Gobrecht's Seated Liberty design took over the same year. The Act of January 18, 1837 changed the standard for silver coins to 90 percent silver and a slightly lower weight, the standard the new Seated dimes followed.

These are the most available Capped Bust dimes, so they are often used for a type set. Most are found worn but with clear dates. Check for LIBERTY on the cap band, which wears away in lower grades. Then look at the eagle's feathers on the reverse. Watch for cleaning, scratches and holes, which are common on early silver. Varieties such as the 1834 Large 4 can be attributed with a good reference. Proofs were struck in very small numbers for some of these dates. They are great rarities. All were struck at Philadelphia, so none of these dimes carries a mint mark. The 1835 total is the highest of any Capped Bust dime.

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Capped Bust Half Dime: The half dime returns

After a gap of twenty four years, the half dime came back in 1829. The reason is not recorded, but a coin between the cent and the dime was clearly useful for small purchases. Chief Engraver William Kneass adapted John Reich's Capped Bust design, with Liberty in a cloth cap and an eagle on the reverse holding an olive branch and arrows. E PLURIBUS UNUM appears on a scroll above the eagle and the value is shown as 5 C. The coin is about 15.5 millimeters across and weighs 1.35 grams.

Unlike earlier half dimes, these were struck in a close collar from the start. The collar formed the reeded edge and gave each coin an even diameter and a neat beaded border. Philadelphia struck 1,230,000 in 1829, 1,240,000 in 1830 and 1,242,700 in 1831. Output dipped to 965,000 in 1832. Thirteen stars surround Liberty, seven on the left and six on the right.

These early dates are common for their age. They are a good way to own a Capped Bust half dime without hunting for a rarity. Check the date and look at the cap band for LIBERTY, which wears quickly. Then examine the eagle's feathers and the scroll. Watch for cleaning, scratches and holes. Collectors attribute the dies with Logan-McCloskey numbers. With Philadelphia the only mint, no coin of the type has a mint mark.

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