1796 Draped Bust Cent, LIHERTY
The 1796 Draped Bust cent featuring the “LIHERTY” error is one of the scarcest and most recognizable issues of the Draped Bust cent series.
The error was initiated when a Mint die-sinker punched upside down into the obverse die the letter “B” of “LIBERTY.” Upon realizing the blunder, he re-punched the “B” in the correct orientation, but this resulted in a letter resembling more of an “H” rather than a “B.”(1)
Although most price guides do not mention this, there are actually two known die varieties (sometimes called die marriages). Die variety S-103 matches the LIHERTY obverse with the reverse die of 1794. S-104, considered the scarcest of the two, matches the same LIHERTY obverse with a 1797 reverse die.(2)
The 1796 Draped Bust LIHERTY cent has been subjected to pressure from generations of eager collectors, although values are currently below their circa 2010 highs.
| Estimated survivors in all grades: 201 ?
The survivor estimate from PCGS represents an average of one or more experts' opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in all grades. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services. Learn more at PCGS. |
| PCGS Rarity Scale: 6.9 ?
The 'PCGS CoinFacts Rarity Scale' assesses the relative rarity of all U.S. coins, based on estimated surviving examples. The scale runs from 1.0 to 10.0. The higher the number, the rarer the coin.
Learn more at PCGS. |
| Click HERE to check for availability on eBay** |
Preview of eBay selection:
 |
 |
| Trendline Avg = 15.02 | GOOD |
Historic Value Trend Charts:
| Last updated 11-11-24 |  |
Return to Key Date Coin List |
| Compare to Common Date Coin of Same Type | ||
|
|
||
| Download Charts to Your Computer | ||
Sources
1. PCGS. 1796 1C LIHERTY, BN (Regular Strike).
2. Stack's Bowers Galleries. 1796 Draped Bust Cent. S-103. LIHERTY Error. Aug 2020 Auction.
**Many very fine coin dealers sell on eBay. At any point in time, there may be over one million search results for United States coins. This includes quite a few of the recommendations on our Key Date Coin List.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a rare coin, eBay is certainly worth a look. For your convenience, the links from this site to eBay are coded to bring up only coins certified by PCGS and NGC.
As is always, always the case, never buy a valuable coin from a seller whose trustworthiness cannot be verified. Learn more about this at our chapter Best Places to Buy Coins, which also has a section on doing business on eBay.
In the interest of full disclosure, Rare Coins 101 receives a small commission anytime someone connects to eBay from this site and purchases something.
Coin images by Stack's Bowers Galleries.
