1809 Classic Head Half Cent: Rare and Valuable Historical Coin

The 1809 Classic Head Half Cent introduced several design changes from the previous Draped Bust type. Replacing the former's bust, John Reich's Classic Head featured Liberty facing left with more detailed hair and a toned-down bosom. The wreath on the reverse was fuller, encasing the denomination, separated by a thin horizontal bar. The Classic Head saw six die marriages and a mintage of 1,154,572 half cents. No Mint State coins of the type have survived, while Red Brown examples are scarce, with fewer than 20 known. Mint State examples in Brown are readily available for $1,500 to $2,000. AU58 coins offer value at $650 to $700.

1809 Classic Head Half Cent

In 1809, the United States Mint redesigned the half cent, replacing the Draped Bust design with engraver John Reich's Classic Head and changing the direction that Liberty faces from right to left. Her hair is more detailed on the 1809 Classic Head Half Cent, and her bosom is toned down to a curved base. On the reverse, the wreath is fuller and fully wraps around the denomination, which is underlined by a thin horizontal bar.

The Mint employed six die marriages to strike 1,154,572 half cents in the type's first year of issue.

Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

• No Mint State Red examples are known to have survived, and Red Brown examples are rare, with fewer than 20 known.
• Mint State Brown 1809 Half Cents survive in sufficient quantity that one can pick up an example in grades up to MS63BN for $1,500 to $2,000.
• AU58 coins seem to be a bargain at $650 to $700 USD.
• Top Population: PCGS MS66RB (1, 5/2024), NGC MS65RB (1, 5/2024), and CAC MS66RB (1:0 stickered:graded, 5/2024).

1809 Draped Bust Half Cent, Cohen-1

• Rarity 4+.
• Eckberg 2-B.
• The C-1 is the rarest die marriage of the 1809 Half Cent. Even the great D. Brent Pogue Collection did not have one in Mint State. Its rarity was overestimated through the 1960s; today, experts like Bill Eckberg believe survivors number in the 60s.
• Likely unknown in Mint State.

1809 Classic Head Half Cent, C-1

• PCGS AU55 #30451273: John Gulde, circa 1973; As PCGS AU55 #30451273. “The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection,” Heritage Auctions, August 22, 2022, Lot 3083 – $36,000. McGuigan on insert. Manley Die State 2.0. There are numerous small scratches in the left obverse field and a deep diagonal planchet void to the right of stars 5 and 6.
• PCGS AU55 #32708221: Steve Fischer; James R. McGuigan; R. Tettenhorst Collection, by sale, August 1985; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society; Missouri Cabinet Collection; “Missouri Cabinet Collection,” Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2014, Lot 92; “D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part V,” Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, March 31, 2017, Lot 5059 – $28,200. Pogue novelty insert.

1809 Draped Bust Half Cent, Cohen-2

• Breen-3.
• Eckberg 2-C.
• The date is closely spaced, with 809 punched in a nearly straight line (the “9” is slightly higher). The bottom curl is above the right tip of the “0” past the meridian of the “9”. The same reverse die is used on 1809 C-3. In later die states, numerous die cracks develop on the obverse.

1809 Classic Head Half Cent, C-2

• PCGS MS62RB #32708222: (likely) William Sumner Appleton; Massachusetts Historical Society; Stack’s, May 1971, Lot 10; William K. Raymond; R. Tettenhorst, by sale, September 1976; Missouri Cabinet Collection (Eric P. Newman and Tettenhorst); “The Missouri Cabinet Collection of U.S. Half Cents,” Goldberg Auctioneers, January 2014, Lot 93; As PCGS MS62RB #32708222. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection, Part V,” Stack’s Bowers, March 31, 2017, Lot 5060 – $10,575. Pogue novelty insert. Holey orange that is dappled with dark areas throughout.
• PCGS MS65BN #50089403: “The ESM Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, March 19, 2020, Lot 3038 – $4,320. Cluster of carbon spots to the left of 1. Carbon spot at the rim above star 13. Dark spot at L of LIBERTY and another spot just above hair, above L. Denticles weak at the bottom as the coin is struck slightly off center.
• PCGS MS62BN CAC #30451274: William K. Raymond, September 8, 1976; R. Tettenhorst’s Davy II Collection; “Davy II Collection,” Goldberg Auctions, September 2011, Lot 373; “The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection,” Heritage Auctions, August 22, 2022, Lot 3084 – $11,400. Davy II-McGuigan on insert. Manley Die State 4.0. Light spot at star 3. Two diagonal ticks in the left field. Tick between L and N on the reverse. Tick between S and O.

1809 Draped Bust Half Cent, Cohen-3

• Rarity-1.
• Obverse 3 is paired with Reverse C. This is the only use of this obverse die.
• The date is widely spaced and is configured as 1 80 9. The lowest curl is almost completely over the “0”. A rim break is present above 9 o’clock.
• Eckberg estimates a surviving population of 3,400 coins.
• In Manley Die State 1.0, a curved die crack runs across the neck. In Manley Die State 3.0, a faint obverse crack from the hub is visible through stars 1, 2, and 3, with a parallel die crack below stars 2 and 3.

1809 Classic Head Half Cent, C-3

• PCGS MS66RB CAC #30451275: Thomas D. Reynolds, May 2002. As PCGS MS66RB CAC #30451275. “The James R. McGuigan Half Cent Collection,” Heritage Auctions, August 22, 2022, Lot 3085 – $84,000. McGuigan on insert. Mostly red. The reverse is slightly off center, with the edge border largely absent from 11 o’clock to 2 o’clock. Superior coin.
• PCGS MS65RB CAC #50011062: Tom Reynolds; “The Red Headed Copper Collection,” Heritage Auctions, August 16, 2018, Lot 5025 – $18,000. Mostly brown, red remnants in some protected areas. Tiny flecks of carbon spotting throughout the obverse field. Carbon spot above F of HALF.
• PCGS MS64RB CAC #1373765: Heritage Auctions, August 12, 2010, Lot 3808 – $3,737.50. Mostly brown, red remnants in some protected areas. There is a carbon spot at the neck and in the void at the lowest curl. Thin scratch in the left field below star 6. On the reverse, there is a large carbon spot at the tip of the first A of AMERICA.
• PCGS MS64RB: “The Johnson-Blue Collection,” Stack’s, August 8, 2010, Lot 192 – $2,760. Dark cluster of carbon spots to the left of the chin and neck. Dark spot between 8 and 0. Red in LIBERTY and predominately in the coin’s outer protected areas. On the reverse, there is a fingerprint above HA.
• NGC MS66BN CAC #5747082-017: George Nelson; Raymond Munde; Jon Hanson, November 11, 1972; Donald G. Partrick. As NGC MS66BN CAC #5747082-017. “The Donald G. Partrick Collection,” Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2021, Lot 3683 – $21,000. Red is in the protected areas (stars, date, LIBERTY) on the obverse, and HALF CENT is on the reverse. Tony ticks on the neck. There is a small curved scratch above the nostril. On the reverse, there are two small unobtrusive carbon spots: above AT of STATES and at the upper back tip of N of CENTS.
• PCGS MS65BN CAC