The ONLY Proof Ike Dollar Mated Pair On A Dime & Nickel Planchet NGC PF65 UNIQUE
US $50,000
Ebay
1796 50C 16 Stars Draped Bust Half Dollar PCGS VF25
US $79,924
Grade
Add On NONE
Grading service
PCGS
Cert number
64681267
Certification
—
Date
2026-06-09
Category
—
Sub category
—
Dealer
Description
1796 50C 16 Stars Draped Bust Half Dollar PCGS VF25
PCGS # 6058
Grading Service PCGS
Grade VF25
Mint Location Philadelphia
Year 1796
Designation
Strike Business
Grade Add On NONE
1796 50C 16 Stars Draped Bust Half Dollar PCGS VF25
1796 50C 16 Stars
SKU: 64681267
Add a cornerstone rarity to your early U.S. type set with this 1796 Draped Bust Small Eagle Half Dollar, the elusive 16 Stars obverse variety, certified PCGS VF25 (Cert #3244492) and struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1796–1797 Draped Bust, Small Eagle half dollar is widely regarded as the rarest United States silver type coin, and the 1796 date is a celebrated key that commands strong demand in every grade due to its historic status and genuine scarcity.
The 1796 issue is collected in two primary obverse star varieties: 15 Stars and 16 Stars. The 16 Stars variety is especially intriguing to specialists, with an estimated mintage of approximately 365 pieces (versus about 569 for the 15 Stars). Despite the lower estimated mintage, the 16 Stars variety is noted for appearing in auction with surprising regularity, a long-observed market quirk that adds to the variety’s mystique and encourages deeper study among advanced collectors.
In Very Fine condition, this half dollar offers substantial design detail and clear visual definition where it matters most: the Draped Bust portrait, the star count, and the Small Eagle reverse type that defines the earliest federal half dollars. A VF25 example is an ideal balance of affordability and collectability for a coin that is considered expensive even in the lowest grades, making it a compelling choice for both serious numismatists and history-minded buyers seeking an authentic early Mint silver classic.
Key details
Date, type: 1796 Draped Bust Half Dollar, Small Eagle reverse
Variety: 16 Stars obverse
Mint: Philadelphia
Grade: PCGS VF25
Certification: PCGS Cert #3244492
Population data: 5 in this grade, 12 graded higher
Why collectors pursue this coin
Premier early U.S. silver type: a foundational issue of the first federal half dollars
High historical importance: struck during the earliest years of the United States Mint
True rarity with strong demand: a key date and a key variety within an already scarce type
Recognized market pedigree for the variety: the 16 Stars is a well-discussed and closely followed specialist issue
A 1796 16 Stars Draped Bust half dollar in PCGS VF25 is a serious, storied piece of early American numismatic history—an advanced-type rarity that remains perennially desirable across collector levels.
PCGS # 6058
Grading Service PCGS
Grade VF25
Mint Location Philadelphia
Year 1796
Designation
Strike Business
Grade Add On NONE
1796 50C 16 Stars Draped Bust Half Dollar PCGS VF25
1796 50C 16 Stars
SKU: 64681267
Add a cornerstone rarity to your early U.S. type set with this 1796 Draped Bust Small Eagle Half Dollar, the elusive 16 Stars obverse variety, certified PCGS VF25 (Cert #3244492) and struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1796–1797 Draped Bust, Small Eagle half dollar is widely regarded as the rarest United States silver type coin, and the 1796 date is a celebrated key that commands strong demand in every grade due to its historic status and genuine scarcity.
The 1796 issue is collected in two primary obverse star varieties: 15 Stars and 16 Stars. The 16 Stars variety is especially intriguing to specialists, with an estimated mintage of approximately 365 pieces (versus about 569 for the 15 Stars). Despite the lower estimated mintage, the 16 Stars variety is noted for appearing in auction with surprising regularity, a long-observed market quirk that adds to the variety’s mystique and encourages deeper study among advanced collectors.
In Very Fine condition, this half dollar offers substantial design detail and clear visual definition where it matters most: the Draped Bust portrait, the star count, and the Small Eagle reverse type that defines the earliest federal half dollars. A VF25 example is an ideal balance of affordability and collectability for a coin that is considered expensive even in the lowest grades, making it a compelling choice for both serious numismatists and history-minded buyers seeking an authentic early Mint silver classic.
Key details
Date, type: 1796 Draped Bust Half Dollar, Small Eagle reverse
Variety: 16 Stars obverse
Mint: Philadelphia
Grade: PCGS VF25
Certification: PCGS Cert #3244492
Population data: 5 in this grade, 12 graded higher
Why collectors pursue this coin
Premier early U.S. silver type: a foundational issue of the first federal half dollars
High historical importance: struck during the earliest years of the United States Mint
True rarity with strong demand: a key date and a key variety within an already scarce type
Recognized market pedigree for the variety: the 16 Stars is a well-discussed and closely followed specialist issue
A 1796 16 Stars Draped Bust half dollar in PCGS VF25 is a serious, storied piece of early American numismatic history—an advanced-type rarity that remains perennially desirable across collector levels.
