1804 Draped Bust Half Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1804 Draped Bust Half Cent is a United States cent from the Draped Bust Half Cents 1800-1808 series — 4th of 8 years in the series. In 1804, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 5.3 million. This represents the highest annual mintage in the entire series, above the series median of 638,000. The obverse features Liberty facing right with draped bust and ribbon-bound hair, designed after a Gilbert Stuart portrait and the reverse displays a wreath enclosing HALF CENT. Multiple die varieties including the Spiked Chin, Crosslet 4, and Plain 4. Struck in copper, weighing 5.44 grams, 23.5 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Struck two years after the 1802 key date, the lowest-mintage regular issue in the series. Across its variants, estimated values range from $123 to $1.2K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $66K in F12 grade at Goldberg Auctioneers. Designed by Robert Scot.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(5)
1804 Draped Bust Half Cent - Crosslet 4, No Stems
1804 Draped Bust Half Cent - Crosslet 4, Stems
1804 Draped Bust Half Cent - Plain 4, No Stems
1804 Draped Bust Half Cent - Plain 4, Stems
1804 Draped Bust Half Cent - Spiked Chin
Other Base Coins in This Series
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