Draped Bust Quarter
1796 - 1807
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The Draped bust quarter first appeared in 1796 but only 6,146 coins were minted on that date after which minting was suspended until 1804 due to a lack of demand. The coin was 89% silver and 11% copper and the
surrounded by a wreath. In 1804 it was made much larger with a shield, called the Heraldic Eagle, an adaptation of the great seal of the United States but extremely low demand continued and only a small number of coins were made through 1807 when the design was discarded. |
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| Due to the rarity and expense of these coins, it is likely that my 1807 example shown above is the only draped bust quarter I will ever own; it is worth about $800. I was lucky to find one for $645 but of course, it has rim damage (not obvious unless the coin is tipped up) which lowered its value which would otherwise be about $1750 for the grade of VF 20 claimed by the seller. If only it wasn't so valuable, I would clean the coin because it surely does not look like silver. This coin is certified and slabbed. | This is the reverse of the coin at left. This coin is one of the rarest that I own, measured by the definition of numbers because of its grade. I do not know the actual number of them that exist in VF 20 or better but I believe that it is relatively few. This belief is based on the value of the coin, which would be more than a thousand dollars if not damaged slightly on the rim. |
1807: January 19: Robert E. Lee, General of the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War, is born. February 19: Former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr is arrested on charges of treason. He is accused of plotting to annex parts of Louisiana and Mexico to become part of an independent republic. February 27: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet and professor, is born. March 1: Wilford Woodruff, 4th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is born. March 2: The U.S. Congress passes an act to "prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States....from any foreign kingdom, place, or country". May 22: A grand jury indicts Aaron Burr for treason. June 22: The British warship HMS Leopard captures and boards the USS Chesapeake. August 17: The Clermont, Robert Fulton’s first American steamboat, leaves New York City for Albany, New York, on the Hudson River, inaugurating the first commercial steamboat service in the world. August 19: My great-great grandfather John spears Erwin was born. September 1: Aaron Burr is acquitted of treason. |