1795 Liberty Cap Half Cent

It goes without saying that the 1795 Liberty Cap Half Cent is an extremely old coin; one of the first ever produced by the US Mint, in fact. Even though the coin is more than 200 years old, there are still quite a few on the market today. Unfortunately, as soon as these coins become available they are almost instantly bought up, making now as good a time as ever for you to get your hands on one.

On the obverse side of the coin, the center of the face is marked by Lady Liberty, whose bust is facing rightward. Lady Liberty is depicted in stunning detail, so much so that you can see the contours of her hair and the bow she is wearing. Arching above the central image is the word “Liberty,” while the 1795 year of minting is directly beneath the central image. The very outer edges of not only the obverse side, but the reverse side as well, are marked by raised dots or notches, which give the coin some added texture.

On the reverse side of the coin, the very center of the piece features the “Half Cent” face value inscription. Partially surrounding this inscription is a loose wreath, tied together by a bow. Beneath the bow there is a “1/200” inscription, marking the coin’s value relative to the value of a single dollar. Finally, there is an inscription which reads “United States of America” around the wreath.

Grading the 1795 Liberty Cap Half Cent

For collectors, simply owning a Liberty Cap is not enough. Because these coins are so old, they are counterfeited quite frequently. As a way of protecting themselves against counterfeits, collectors are only going to purchase those coins that have been graded and determined to be authentic. Below, we have an outline of the different coin grades as well as what they mean.

Uncirculated: If a 1795 Liberty Cap is determined to be of Uncirculated grade, this means that the coin never made it out onto the open market and never exchanged hands. These pieces will be in perfect condition and will look today exactly like it did when it was first minted.

Extremely Fine: A coin determined to be of Extremely Fine grade is one that may or may not have been circulated, but will show only marginal signs of damage. You may notice a single scratch or chip, but apart from that the coin will be in great shape.

Fine: Fine is the grade given to coins that have been both circulated and damaged to some extent. You will see scratching, chipping, and smoothing, but not so much that the surface imagery and/or lettering will have been worn away.

Good: Good is the absolute lowest grade a coin can receive, and is indicative of a piece that has been both heavily circulated and heavily damaged. These pieces will play host to a lot of scratching and chipping, sometimes so much so that the surface imagery and lettering may have been compromised.

Pricing the 1795 Liberty Cap Half Cent

In order to determine a price for the Liberty Cap, the first thing you must look at is the condition it is in and the grade it was given. Even the smallest differences in condition can mean massive changes in price. Below, we have listed a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what you might be asked to pay for a 1795 Liberty Cap Half Cent, given its grade and condition.

Half Cents

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1795 Liberty Cap	$570	$1,500	$6,000	$12,000
Source: Red Book