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Issue RecordKEY DATEPhiladelphia89.24% Silver1 of 39 issues
1797 Draped Bust, Small Eagle Half Dollar
The balance of the same 3,918. PCGS estimates 175 known at R-7.2 — and this date holds the series' price record: $1,560,000 for an MS65+ in January 2023.
1797 · Draped Bust, Small Eagle Half DollarAMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY · PUBLIC DOMAIN MARK / NO COPYRIGHT – UNITED STATES, STATED PER OBJECT IN THE RECORD'S OWN MACHINE-READABLE RIGHTS STATEMENT
02
The numbers, and what kind of numbers they are
Every figure carries its evidence class. Press a class to open the record behind it — what it rests on, by what method, and what the series says you should not conclude from it.
RECORDED DELIVERY
—
The Mint recorded what the Chief Coiner DELIVERED in a calendar year, not what it struck bearing a date. Where the registry combines years, the split is a reconstruction and the class says so.
DATED ATTRIBUTION
2,984
What the trade assigns to coins bearing this date. A modern allocation by an outside authority, not a federal record.
ESTIMATED SURVIVORS
175
An estimate of how many still exist in any grade, not a count of coins anyone has seen. Thirteen of this series' thirty-nine issues carry no census at all and show none.
Provenance · RECORDED DELIVERY
FIGURENo figure — see below
CLASSOBSERVED — read directly from the document
LOCATORp.15
METHODCombined with 1796 in the record's single row of 3,918. The trade's 2,984 is the balance of the 934 it allocates to 1796.
CAVEATThe Mint recorded what the Chief Coiner DELIVERED in a calendar year, not what it struck bearing a date. Where the registry combines years, the split is a reconstruction and the class says so.
Provenance · DATED ATTRIBUTION
FIGURE2,984
CLASSESTIMATED — a third party's estimate, attributed
SOURCEPCGS CoinFacts ↗
ATTRIBUTED TOPCGS CoinFacts
METHODCombined with 1796 in the record's single row of 3,918. The trade's 2,984 is the balance of the 934 it allocates to 1796.
CAVEATWhat the trade assigns to coins bearing this date. A modern allocation by an outside authority, not a federal record.
Provenance · ESTIMATED SURVIVORS
FIGURE175
CLASSESTIMATED — a third party's estimate, attributed
SOURCEPCGS CoinFacts ↗
METHOD3 estimated in mint state · 1 at MS65 or better · rarity R-7.2 across all grades · Auction record $1,560,000 MS65+ (Heritage, January 2023) — the series' price record.
CAVEATAn estimate of how many still exist in any grade, not a count of coins anyone has seen. Thirteen of this series' thirty-nine issues carry no census at all and show none.
03
Specifications
SpecificationValue
DENOMINATIONHalf Dollar
DESIGNERRobert Scot (Flowing Hair and Heraldic Eagle) · Robert Scot with John Eckstein (Draped Bust) · John Reich (Capped Bust)
COMPOSITION89.24% silver, 10.76% copper — 185⅝ grains of pure silver in 208 grains of standard silver
WEIGHT13.48 g
SILVER CONTENT0.38672 ozt
DIAMETERNot fixed by statute. The Act of April 2, 1792 specifies weight and fineness and says nothing about diameter; surviving coins run to roughly 32–33 mm.
EDGELettered — FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR
MINTPhiladelphia only — no branch mint existed until 1838
MINT MARKNone. No early half dollar carries a mint mark.
DIE MARRIAGESDraped Bust, small eagle — 15 stars
04
The primary record
Every document behind the figures above. Where OunceDesk holds a copy, the row opens it.
Report of the Director of the Mint for calendar 1805
Held in the Archive · behind recorded delivery
Held in the Archive · behind recorded delivery
PCGS CoinFacts
External authority — not held by OunceDesk · behind dated attribution
External authority — not held by OunceDesk · behind dated attribution
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