1802 Draped Bust Large Eagle Half Dime
The 1802 Draped Bust Large Eagle half dime is one of the most prized rarities in United States numismatics, fascinating collectors since the mid to late 19th century.(1) Of the 3,060 mintage, only about 35 have survived.(2)
In 1883, researcher and author Harold P. Newlin wrote "Upon these facts I base my opinion, that the half-dime of 1802 is the most desirable of the silver series."(3)
Newlin is not alone. Other than the unique 1870-S (discovered in 1978), the 1802 is the most illustrious issue of entire half dime denomination.
As the value trend charts illustrate, prices for the 1802 half dime have risen consistently and dramatically for decades. Acquiring an example is difficult because on average, only about one 1802 half dime enters the market yearly.(4) Patience (and a big checkbook) is required.
| Estimated survivors in all grades: 35 ?
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: 8.8 ?
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 (Good luck finding the 1802 half dime!):
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| Trendline Avg = 16.33 | GOOD |
Historic Value Trend Charts:
| Last updated 2-9-24 |  |
Return to Key Date Coin List |
| Compare to Common Date Coin of Same Type | ||
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| Download Charts to Your Computer | ||
Sources
1. Stack's Bowers Galleries. Legendary 1802 Half Dime Rarity. Aug 2021 Auction.
2. PCGS. 1802 H10C (Regular Strike).
3. Stack's Bowers Galleries. Legendary 1802 Half Dime Rarity. Aug 2021 Auction.
4. Garrett, Jeff and Guth, Ron. 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, 5th ed. Pelham, AL: Whitman Publishing, 2019.
**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.
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Coin images by Stack's Bowers Galleries.
