1796 LIHERTY

The 1796 Draped Bust cent introduced a new design by Robert Scot: Liberty facing right, her hair falling in loose curls with a ribbon, and a draped fabric across her shoulder. The design was adapted from a drawing attributed to Gilbert Stuart, the same artist who painted the most famous portrait of George Washington. The Draped Bust replaced the Liberty Cap design and would remain on the large cent through 1807.

The LIHERTY variety is one of the most famous die errors in early American coinage. The die engraver used a B punch inverted, or mistakenly selected an upside-down punch, when cutting the letter B in LIBERTY. The result reads LIHERTY on the obverse. The error survived into production because the Mint did not discard dies over spelling mistakes when copper was expensive and die-cutting time was limited. Every coin struck from that die carries the same misspelling.

The LIHERTY error is visually distinctive and easy to identify on coins in Fine or better condition. The inverted B is unmistakable once you know what to look for. On heavily worn coins, the letter can be ambiguous, making certification helpful for confirming the variety. The error has attracted collector attention since the nineteenth century and carries a strong premium over standard 1796 Draped Bust cents.

The 1796 date is significant as the first year of the Draped Bust design on the large cent. Both the Liberty Cap and Draped Bust types were produced in 1796, making it a transition year that collectors of either design need. The LIHERTY variety adds a layer of die-error interest to an already important date.