1834 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1834

The Coinage Act of 1834 reduced the gold content of US gold coins so that they would stop being melted and exported. The change set the gold-to-silver ratio at about 16 to 1.

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 1834

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 10,668,104 coins dated 1834 across 5 issues. That is close to the 1833 total of 9,956,000. In 1835 the figure rose to 15,352,406.

Every circulation coin on this page came from Philadelphia.

Those coins held about 2,641,732 troy ounces of pure silver.

1834 coins by denomination

Cents: 1,855,100 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent, down 32% on 1833.

Dimes: 635,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Dime, up 31% on 1833.

Quarters: 286,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Quarter, up 83% on 1833.

Half Dollars: 6,412,004 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dollar, up 23% on 1833.

Odd Denominations: 1,480,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dime, up 8% on 1833.

Every 1834 circulation issue at a glance

• 1834 Capped Bust Quarter: 286,000 struck, more than 65% of the series' 18 issues, up from 156,000 in 1833.
• 1834 Capped Bust Dime: 635,000 struck, more than 63% of the series' 20 issues, up from 485,000 in 1833.
• 1834 Capped Bust Half Dime: 1,480,000 struck, more than 75% of the series' 9 issues, similar to 1833.
• 1834 Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: 1,855,100 struck, 8th lowest of 24 in the series, down from 2,739,000 in 1833.
• 1834 Capped Bust Half Dollar: 6,412,004 struck, more than 97% of the series' 35 issues, similar to 1833.

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.

See every Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent →

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.

See every Capped Bust Quarter →

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 →

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.

See every Capped Bust Dime →

Capped Bust Half Dime: Varieties and the end of the type

Production rose steadily. Philadelphia struck 1,370,000 in 1833 and 1,480,000 in 1834. The 1834 includes a 3 over inverted 3, where the 3 was first punched upside down. In 1835 the Mint struck 2,760,000, the largest total of the type, with Large Date and Small Date dies and Large 5 C. and Small 5 C. on the reverse. The 1836 total of 1,900,000 also includes a 3 over inverted 3 and both sizes of 5 C.

The last year was 1837, when 871,000 Capped Bust half dimes were struck before the Seated Liberty design replaced it. The 1837 comes with Large 5 C. and Small 5 C. The Small 5 C. is the scarcer of the two. Gobrecht's Seated Liberty half dime followed later the same year, so both designs carry the date 1837. Proofs of these years exist only in tiny numbers. Many dates of this group survive in good numbers, so they are easy to find for a type set.

For a coin of these years, read the 5 C. on the reverse and compare its size with the letters of the legend. Then look closely at the 3 on an 1834 or 1836 for traces of an inverted digit. Most survivors are worn but readable. Since the design is small and the coins were often used hard, a coin with clear hair curls and feathers is in good condition.

See every Capped Bust Half Dime →