INDEX
A Draped Bust Quarter contains 0.1934 troy oz of silver — about $11.55 at today's silver price.
Spot price as of July 23, 2026
About This Series
The Draped Bust quarter had an extremely short run, making it one of the thinnest series in American coinage. The 1796 issue, struck only in that single year with a small eagle reverse, is the rarest date - under 6,000 were minted and very few survive. Production stopped until 1804, when the quarter resumed with a heraldic eagle and continued sporadically through 1807. Low mintages, hard circulation, and two centuries of attrition have made a complete date set a serious accomplishment for any collector. What survives is almost invariably worn; circulated examples still command strong prices.
Specifications
1796–1807
- Composition
- 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper
- Fineness
- 89.2%
- Weight
- 6.74 g
- Diameter
- 27.5 mm
- ASW
- 0.1934 oz
- Years Produced
- 1796–1807
Melt Value
Based on silver spot price of $59.74/oz
Spot price as of July 23, 2026
Mintage by year and mint
NGC Coin Explorer publishes fewer than 8 business-strike figures for this series, which is too few to rank one year against the rest.
| Year | Mint | Business strikes | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1796 | Philadelphia | 6,146 | Not listed by NGC |
| 1804 | Philadelphia | 6,738 | Not listed by NGC |
| 1805 | Philadelphia | Not published by NGC | Not listed by NGC |
| 1806 | Philadelphia | 206,124 | Not listed by NGC |
| 1807 | Philadelphia | 220,643 | Not listed by NGC |
| Mintages as published by NGC Coin Explorer, 2026-03 snapshot. Covers 1796–1807. NGC Coin Explorer does not list every date and mint, so this is what it publishes rather than a complete census. | |||