1836 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1836

The Philadelphia Mint began using its first steam-powered coining press in 1836, the start of a gradual shift from hand-operated screw presses. Christian Gobrecht's seated Liberty dollar was struck the same year.

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 1836

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 12,219,200 coins dated 1836 across 6 issues. That is 20% fewer than in 1835 (15,352,406). In 1837 the figure rose to 12,758,520.

Every circulation coin on this page came from Philadelphia.

Those coins held about 2,788,864 troy ounces of pure silver.

1836 coins by denomination

Cents: 2,111,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent, down 46% on 1835.

Dimes: 1,190,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Dime, down 16% on 1835.

Quarters: 472,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Quarter, down 76% on 1835.

Half Dollars: 6,546,200 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Capped Bust Half Dollar, up 22% on 1835. The scarcest is the 1836, Reeded Edge (1,200) and the most plentiful the 1836, Lettered Edge (6,545,000).

Odd Denominations: 1,900,000 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dime, down 31% on 1835.

Every 1836 circulation issue at a glance

• 1836 Capped Bust Half Dollar, Reeded Edge: 1,200 struck, 2nd lowest of 35 in the series, down from 5,352,006 in 1835.
• 1836 Capped Bust Quarter: 472,000 struck, more than 94% of the series' 18 issues, down from 1,952,000 in 1835.
• 1836 Capped Bust Dime: 1,190,000 struck, more than 89% of the series' 20 issues, similar to 1835.
• 1836 Capped Bust Half Dime: 1,900,000 struck, more than 88% of the series' 9 issues, down from 2,760,000 in 1835.
• 1836 Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: 2,111,000 struck, 10th lowest of 24 in the series, down from 3,878,400 in 1835.
• 1836 Capped Bust Half Dollar, Lettered Edge: 6,545,000 struck, the highest mintage of the series, similar to 1835.

Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent: Gobrecht's modified heads and Hard Times

Christian Gobrecht began reworking the portrait in 1835, so some 1835 cents show the older head and others the slimmer Head of 1836. In 1837 he added beaded hair cords, giving the Head of 1838, while plain cord coins of the same year also exist. Demand rose during the Panic of 1837. Mintages reached 5.5 million in 1837 and 6.4 million in 1838.

The final year, 1839, is a collector favorite because it holds several transitional portraits known as the Silly Head and the Booby Head, as well as the scarce 1839/6 overdate, the key to this group. Copper Hard Times tokens, the same size as a cent, circulated widely in these years and are often found alongside them. Cents of 1835 to 1839 usually come with honest brown surfaces and are among the more affordable Coronet dates to complete.

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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: Steam press and reeded edge

In late 1836 the Mint used its new steam-powered press to strike a redesigned half dollar modified by Christian Gobrecht. It was smaller, at about 30 mm, with a reeded edge in place of the lettered one. Only 1,200 reeded edge halves are dated 1836. Lettered edge halves were also struck that year, including an error with 50 over 00 in the denomination.

The 1837 reverse reads 50 CENTS, while 1838 and 1839 read HALF DOL. The 1837 coins were the first struck to the new standard of 90 percent silver and 13.36 grams. New Orleans struck about 20 halves in 1838. They are among the rarest of all American silver coins. The 1838-O and 1839-O carry their mint mark on the obverse above the date, an unusual position. The Seated Liberty half replaced the design later in 1839.

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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: 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.

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