1812 US Coins: Values & Mintages

The Mint in the 1810s

War with Britain from 1812 to 1815 cut off imports of copper planchets and cent production stopped once stocks ran out in 1814. No cents are dated 1815. A fire in January 1816 damaged the Mint's machinery, which is why no half dollars are dated 1816 and output of other coins stayed low for a time.

After the war, banks and merchants needed coin again. The Mint resumed cents with the Coronet design in 1816 and brought back the quarter dollar with the Capped Bust design in 1815. Gold coins remained undervalued against silver and most were exported soon after striking, so few survive from this period.

How many coins were made in 1812

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 2,703,559 coins dated 1812 across 2 issues. That is 82% more than in 1811 (1,486,849). In 1813 the figure fell to 1,659,903.

Every circulation coin on this page came from Philadelphia.

Those coins held about 629,669 troy ounces of pure silver.

1812 coins by denomination

Cents: 1,075,500 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Classic Head Large Cent, up 393% on 1811.

Half Dollars: 1,628,059 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dollar, up 35% on 1811.

Every 1812 circulation issue at a glance

• 1812 Classic Head Large Cent: 1,075,500 struck, more than 83% of the series' 7 issues, up from 218,025 in 1811.
• 1812 Capped Bust Half Dollar: 1,628,059 struck, 17th lowest of 35 in the series, up from 1,203,644 in 1811.

Classic Head Large Cent: War of 1812 and the year without cents

The War of 1812 shaped these final years. Cents of 1812 come with small and large date styles. Production slipped to 418,000 in 1813. The 1814 is known with a plain 4 and a crosslet 4, a popular pair for type collectors because both were struck in good numbers from the planchets still on hand.

By 1815 the British blockade had cut off the supply of copper planchets from England. The Mint coined no cents dated 1815. Any coin offered with that date is an alteration or a fantasy made from another cent. When fresh planchets arrived the Mint switched to Robert Scot's Coronet design in 1816, ending the Classic Head type after just seven struck dates. Like the earlier years, 1812 to 1814 cents are usually seen dark and somewhat rough. Well preserved examples carry a strong premium.

The cents of 1812 to 1814 were struck from the last copper planchets on hand before the British blockade stopped new shipments. The 1814 comes in Plain 4 and Crosslet 4 varieties, told apart by a small serif on the crossbar of the 4. When peace returned the Mint chose a new design rather than reviving Reich's, so the type ended with the 1814 coins.

See every Classic Head Large Cent →

Capped Bust Half Dollar: John Reich's half and the bank reserve years

John Reich's Capped Bust half dollar replaced the Draped Bust in 1807, with 750,500 struck that year. First-year varieties include small stars, large stars, a 50 over 20 denomination and the so-called Bearded Liberty, named for a die break under the chin. Output then stayed above one million a year through 1814, reaching 1,628,059 in 1812.

Banks used half dollars as their main silver reserve, so many coins moved between bank vaults rather than through daily trade. That helps explain why survivors from these years are often found in Fine to Extremely Fine rather than worn smooth. Overdates such as 1808/7, 1812/1 and 1814/3 are well known. The 1813 reverse with 50 C. punched over UNI is popular with specialists who collect by die marriage.

See every Capped Bust Half Dollar →