1800 Draped Bust Half Cent

The 18000 Draped Bust Half Cent is widely regarded as a must-have for collectors largely due to it being the first year of a new design. Prior editions of the Half Cent featured slightly different imagery and lettering, and those slight differences are exactly why the newer coin is so popular. With that being said, the fact that these coins were produced so long ago means that only a limited number are available for purchase, so it would behoove you to act quickly.

On the obverse side of the coin, the central image is that of Lady Liberty facing off to the right. Complete with a bow, Lady Liberty’s hair is free-flowing and full of detail. The coin is referred to as the Draped Bust because there is, quite literally, a drape over her bust. Above the central imagery you will notice the word “Liberty” inscribed, while the 1800 year of minting can be found off to the bottom of the face. On both sides of the coin, the extreme outer edges are marked by raised notches which give the coin a bit of added texture.

On the coin’s reverse, the “Half Cent” face value can be found in the center, surrounded by a wreath that is tied together with a bow. Directly beneath the bow you will notice a “1/200” inscription. This is marking the Half Cent’s value relative to a whole dollar. Finally, the phrase “United States of America” is inscribed around the outside of the wreath.

Grading the 1800 Draped Bust Half Cent

For collectors, the simple fact of the matter is that coins such as the 1800 Draped Bust Half Cent are counterfeited with increasing frequency. Due to all these counterfeits making their way onto the market, collectors are only going to settle for the coins that have been graded and certified as being authentic. Below, you will find an outline of the different coin grades as well as what they mean.

Uncirculated: An Uncirculated 1800 Draped Bust is one that never made it out onto the open market. These pieces never exchanged hands and, as a result of this, will appear to be in pristine condition, much like they were the day they were minted.

Extremely Fine: If a coin is determined to be of Extremely Fine grade, this means that the piece in question will have only a few very minor flaws. Things such as small scratches and chips will appear, but all in all the coin will still be in excellent condition.

Fine: Fine is the grade given to coins that definitely saw some time in circulation, but were taken out before too much damage could occur. With light scratching and some smoothing across both sides of the coin, it is clear to see that these pieces exchanged hands throughout the years.

Good: Good is the grade given to coins that have been both heavily circulated and heavily damaged. These pieces will have plenty of scratching and smoothing. So much so that some of their surface imagery and lettering might have been worn away entirely.

Pricing the 1800 Draped Bust Half Cent

In order to determine the price you might be asked to pay for a Draped Bust Half Cent from 1800, the first thing you must assess is the condition, or grade, of the coin. Naturally, it goes without saying that the coins that have the highest grades are also going to carry the highest pricetags. Below, you will find a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what you can expect to pay for an 1800 Draped Bust Half Cent, given its grade.

Half Cents

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1800 Draped Bust	$70	$150	$300	$1,000
Source: Red Book