1796
This year, Tennessee became the 16th state, George Washington gave his farewell address, where he he warned of tangling alliances, and John Adams became the second President of the United States. The first complete works of Shakespeare were published in the United States. The new nation's first suspension bridge was constructed across Jacob's Creek in Westmoreland, PA. In England, Dr. Edward Jenner inoculated a boy against small pox. His method worked. War raged across the Europen continent and Napoleon established the Lombard Republic.
Part of the production of cents this year were dated 1795 (see discussion for 1795). Cents bearing this date were struck starting in April using the Liberty Cap design from earlier years. Walter Breen estimates that 109,825 Liberty Cap cents dated 1796 were struck and delivered in April and May. A new design, the Draped Bust style, was struck starting in October. Production of 1796 dated Draped Bust cents continued, intermittently, until early 1798. These Draped Bust cents were struck with three distinctively different reverses, the type of 1794, the type of 1795, and the type of 1797. Walter Breen estimates mintage of 1796 Draped Bust cents at between 800,00 and 1,100,00 pieces. Half cent mintage and delivery for the year was 115,480. Half cents of 1796, however, are rare. Walter Breen estimates that only 1,390 half cents were struck with the date 1796 (see discussion for 1795). He speculates these coins were struck in October.
There are eleven different Liberty Cap varieties (S-81 through S-91), thirty-five different Draped Bust varieties (S-92 through S-119 and NC=-1 through NC-7), and two varieties of half cents known for this year.
The National Numismatic Collection contains 1 half cent and 13 large cents from this year. The nicest coins are S-84 (1), S-86, S-91, and S-104 (2).
HALF CENTS CENTS