1814 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1814

Last year of the Classic Head Large Cent.

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 1814

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 1,818,405 coins dated 1814 across 3 issues. That is close to the 1813 total of 1,659,903. In 1815 the figure fell to 136,385.

Every circulation coin on this page came from Philadelphia.

Those coins held about 434,526 troy ounces of pure silver.

1814 coins by denomination

Cents: 357,830 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Classic Head Large Cent, down 14% on 1813.

Dimes: 421,500 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Dime.

Half Dollars: 1,039,075 struck in 1 circulation issue of the Capped Bust Half Dollar, down 16% on 1813.

Every 1814 circulation issue at a glance

• 1814 Classic Head Large Cent: 357,830 struck, 3rd lowest of 7 in the series, similar to 1813.
• 1814 Capped Bust Dime: 421,500 struck, 8th lowest of 20 in the series, up from 65,180 in 1811.
• 1814 Capped Bust Half Dollar: 1,039,075 struck, 7th lowest of 35 in the series, similar to 1813.

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.

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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.

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Capped Bust Dime: John Reich's dime arrives

No dimes were struck in 1808. In 1809 Assistant Engraver John Reich's Capped Bust design appeared. Liberty wears a cloth cap with a band reading LIBERTY. On the reverse an eagle with a shield holds an olive branch and three arrows, with E PLURIBUS UNUM on a scroll above. For the first time a dime carried its value, 10 C. The coin was struck on a screw press in an open collar, so it measures about 18.8 millimeters across.

Mintages were small. Philadelphia struck 51,065 dimes in 1809, the first year and a key date. None were made in 1810. The 65,180 coins of 1811 were all struck from an old die with the date 1811 punched over 1809. No dimes were made in 1812 or 1813. Production jumped in 1814 to 421,500. The 1814 comes in Small Date and Large Date forms and in a variety where the words run together as STATESOFAMERICA on the reverse.

Spanish and Mexican silver coins still circulated widely and depositors of silver at the Mint usually asked for larger coins, which explains the gaps. For a dime of these years, check the date carefully. On an 1811 you should see traces of the 09 under the 11. On an 1814 read the reverse legend for spacing. Survivors are usually worn and many have been cleaned.

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