1799 Draped Bust Cent, 9/8
The 1799 Draped Bust cent is the rarest date of the series and includes both normal and 1799/8 varieties. Of these two, the 9/8 overdate is the toughest to find.
The true scarcity of the 1799 became evident as early as 1816, when 17-year-old Joseph Mickley, (who went on to become one of the most famous of the early U.S. numismatists) seeking a cent from his birth year, could not find an example in what eventually became a highly publicized search.(1)
Mint records indicate 904,585 cents were produced in 1799, but scholars are certain the vast majority of these were dated 1798. As was typical during the early years of the U.S. Mint, serviceable dies were used in multiple years because of a shortage of die steel.(2)
The 1799/8 Draped Bust cent is a rare coin in any condition and has an enviable record of consistent price advances with few reversals. It is extremely difficult to locate in grades higher than VF-20.
| Estimated survivors in all grades: 200 ?
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: 7.0 ?
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. |
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| Trendline Avg = 17.47 | GOOD |
Historic Value Trend Charts:
| Last updated 11-11-24 |  |
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Sources
1. Stack's Bowers Galleries. 1799/8 Draped Bust Cent. Sheldon-188. Mar 2017 Auction.
2. Heritage Auctions. 1799/8 Draped Bust Cent, XF40. Jan 2022 Auction.
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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.
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Coin images by Stack's Bowers Galleries.
