1796 50C 16 Stars VF30 Certification #45996233, PCGS #6058

CoinFacts Details

Expert Comments

Estimated mintage of the 16 stars variety is 365 compared to 569 for the 15 stars. I always thought there were about 20 survivors. What's odd is that the 16 stars appears in auction at least as often as the 15 stars. Based on mintage the 15 star should appear almost twice as often. I bought the AU55 in 2006 as part of the Naples III collection. It is exceeded only by the MS64 and MS66. Norweb owned a 16 star which is now in PCGS VF25.

David Hall

The 1796-1797 Draped Bust, small eagle half dollar is considered to be the rarest United States silver type coin. It is an expensive coin even in the lowest grades. For the 1796, there are two varieties, 15 stars on the obverse and 16 stars on the obverse. The PCGS graded MS66 16 stars is the finest known (by a considerable margin) of either variety of 1796 dated half dollars.

PCGS #

6058

Designer

Robert Scot/John Eckstein

Edge

Lettered: FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR

Diameter

32.50 millimeters

Weight

13.48 grams

Mintage

934

Metal

90% Silver, 10% Copper

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Region

The United States of America

Price Guide

PCGS Population

Auctions - PCGS Graded

Auctions - NGC Graded

Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More

Grades	Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.	Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.	Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.	Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	40	R-8.7	1 / 3	2 / 16
All Grades	2	R-9.9	1 / 3	2 / 16 TIE
60 or Better	1	R-10.0	1 / 3 TIE	1 / 16 TIE

Survival Estimate The Survival Estimate represents an average of one or more experts opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in three categories: 1) all grades, 2) 60 or better, and 3) 65 or better. These estimates are based on a variety of sources, including population reports, auction appearances, and personal knowledge. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services.
65 or Better	40
All Grades	2
60 or Better	1

Numismatic Rarity Numismatic Rarity converts the Survival Estimate for a particular coin into a number from 1 to 10 (with decimal increments) based on the PCGS Rarity Scale. The higher the number, the more rare the coin.
65 or Better	R-8.7
All Grades	R-9.9
60 or Better	R-10.0

Relative Rarity by Type Relative Rarity By Type ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Type. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	1 / 3
All Grades	1 / 3
60 or Better	1 / 3 TIE

Relative Rarity by Series Relative Rarity By Series ranks the rarity of this coin with all other coins of this Series. Lower numbers indicate rarer coins.
65 or Better	2 / 16
All Grades	2 / 16 TIE
60 or Better	1 / 16 TIE

Condition Census Learn More

Pos	Grade	Pedigree and History
1	MS66 PCGS grade	Judge Curtis Collection (circa the 1940s) - possibly Wurtzbach Collection via a Bluestone sale in 1931 - Abraham Hepner, sold privately in 1968 for $1,600 - Lelan Rogers Collection - Stack’s 11/1995:1250 - John Walter Whitney Collection - Stack's 5/4/1999:1778, $460,000 - D. Brent Pogue Collection - Stack’s/Bowers & Sotheby’s 5/2015:1102, $822,500
2	MS64 PCGS grade	Bowers & Merena 8/1998:181, $115,250 - Haig Koshkarian Collection - American Numismatic Rarities 3/2004:575, $276,000 - Goldbergs 5/2006:2908, $414,000 - Goldbergs 2/2011:1413, $345,000 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection - Heritage 5/2015:98439, $329,000
2	MS64 estimated grade
2	MS64 estimated grade
5	MS63 estimated grade	Richard B. Winsor Collection - S. & H. Chapman 12/1895:598 - J. M. Clapp Collection - John H. Clapp Collection, sold intact in 1942 - Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection - Bowers & Merena 4/1997:1674, $143,000

#1 MS66 PCGS grade

Judge Curtis Collection (circa the 1940s) - possibly Wurtzbach Collection via a Bluestone sale in 1931 - Abraham Hepner, sold privately in 1968 for $1,600 - Lelan Rogers Collection - Stack’s 11/1995:1250 - John Walter Whitney Collection - Stack's 5/4/1999:1778, $460,000 - D. Brent Pogue Collection - Stack’s/Bowers & Sotheby’s 5/2015:1102, $822,500

#2 MS64 PCGS grade

Bowers & Merena 8/1998:181, $115,250 - Haig Koshkarian Collection - American Numismatic Rarities 3/2004:575, $276,000 - Goldbergs 5/2006:2908, $414,000 - Goldbergs 2/2011:1413, $345,000 - Eugene H. Gardner Collection - Heritage 5/2015:98439, $329,000

#2 MS64 estimated grade

#5 MS63 estimated grade

Richard B. Winsor Collection - S. & H. Chapman 12/1895:598 - J. M. Clapp Collection - John H. Clapp Collection, sold intact in 1942 - Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection - Bowers & Merena 4/1997:1674, $143,000