Canceled denominations of United States currency

This article is about denominations of the United States dollar that were not released for circulation. For denominations that were circulated but later withdrawn, see Obsolete denominations of United States currency.

Canceled banknotes and coins of the United States dollar

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The United States has several coins and banknotes which were proposed at one time but never adopted.

## Banknotes

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A three dollar bill was proposed two times during the 1860s. A design was engraved for a potential $3 United States Note, and a 1865 law called for a $3 National Bank Note, but neither proposal came to fruition.[citation needed]

Denomination  | Obverse  | Reverse  | Notes

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$3 note  |  |  | Not to be confused with fake or privately issued obsolete notes or the three-dollar Continental currency banknotes issued during the American Revolution

## Coinage

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There have been several United States coins which were proposed but never adopted. Most of the coins listed below, although never adopted, were produced in limited numbers as patterns.

Denomination  | Obverse  | Reverse  | Weight  | Diameter  | Material  | Edge  | Minted  | Notes

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Silver center cent
1¢  |  |  | 4.48 g  | 24.00 mm  | Cu (ring)
Ag (plug)  | reeded  | 1792  | The first and only US bi-metallic coin until the 2000 Library of Congress ten dollar coin.
Ring cent
1¢  |  |  | various weights  |  | 90% Cu  | 10% Ag[a] | 1850–1851, 1853[b], 1884–1885  | 196 ring cents (originals and restrikes) are known to exist.[1] Examples exist with or without a hole.
Aluminum cent
1¢  |  |  | 0.937 g  | 19.05 mm  | 96% Al
4% trace metals  | plain  | 1973–1975  | 1,579,324 coins dated 1974 were produced, but were not put in circulation and nearly all were later destroyed.[2]
Two-cent billon
2¢  |  |  | 3.84 g  | ~13.00 mm  | 90% Cu
10% Ag  | plain  | 1836  | [3]
Two and a half cent piece
2.5¢  |  |  | unknown  | unknown  | unknown  | unknown  | never minted  | Proposed in 1916 by US mint director Robert W. Woolley.[4]
Civil War tokens of this denomination exist.
Three-cent bronze
3¢  |  |  | 10.89 g  | 28.57 mm  | 95% Cu
5% Zn  | plain  | 1863  |
Ring nickel
5¢  |  |  |  |  |  | plain  | 1884–1885  | [5][6]
Gold ring half dollar
50¢  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1852  | [7]
Gold ring dollar
$1  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1849, 1852  | [8][9]
Two dollar piece
$2  |  |  | unknown  | unknown  | unknown  | unknown  | never minted  | Proposed but not minted.[10] Some privately struck renditions exist.[11]
Stella
$4[12][13] |  |  | 7.00 g  | 22 mm  | 6.00g Au
0.30g Ag
0.70g Cu  | reeded  | 1879–1880  | [14]
Half-union
$50  |  |  | 83.58 g  | 50.80 mm  | 90% Au
10% Cu[c] | reeded  | 1877  | Commemorative coins of this denomination were issued in 1915.[16]

Several bullion coins are produced in this denomination.

Union
$100  |  |  | unknown  | unknown  | 90% Au
10% Cu  | unknown  | never minted  | Canceled before any patterns could be minted (fantasy coin shown).

Some commemorative and bullion coins are minted in this denomination.

## Notes

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1. ^ Pattern coins for the ring cent were struck in various metals, including copper, aluminum, and nickel, as well as billon.
2. ^ 1853 ring cents are restrikes dated 1850, although they can be distinguished from the original 1850 cents in that they use a different reverse design.
3. ^ Although circulation strikes of the Half Union were to be 90% gold 10% copper, only two of the twenty known pattern coins were struck with this composition. The other 18 were struck in 100% copper, although some were later plated with gold by the mint.[15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "1792-1856". uspatterns.stores.yahoo.net. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
2. ^ Yeoman 2014, p. 123.
3. ^ Yeoman 2014, p. 375.
4. ^ "Mint proposed 2.5-cent piece in 1916". Coin World. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
5. ^ "J1724/P1934". uspatterns.com. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
6. ^ "J1742/P1954". uspatterns.com. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
7. ^ "J135/P162". uspatterns.com. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
8. ^ "J115/P130". uspatterns.com. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
9. ^ "J136/P163". uspatterns.com. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
10. ^ "Dr. Sol Taylor: Our Odd-Denomination Coins". Retrieved March 22, 2019.
11. ^ "Coin Designs by Daniel Carr. 1987-2001 Apollo Astronaut dollar, two dollar bi-metallic circulating coins". Retrieved March 23, 2019.
12. ^ Shark, Bullion (June 8, 2022). "The $4 Stella Gold Coin: A Failed Idea That Collectors Loved". CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
13. ^ "The History of U.S. Coins - APMEX". learn.apmex.com. June 13, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
14. ^ Yeoman 2014, p. 254.
15. ^ "Fifty Dollar". uspatterns.stores.yahoo.net. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
16. ^ Yeoman 2014, p. 289.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Yeoman, R.S. (2014). Bressett, Kenneth (ed.). A Guide Book of United States Coins 2015 (68th ed.). Atlanta, Georgia: Whitman Publishing. ISBN 978-079484215-4. OCLC 875521690. OL 28306197M.

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United States currency and coinage

Topics|

* U.S. dollar
* Federal Reserve System
* Federal Reserve Note
* U.S. Mint
* Denver
* Philadelphia
* San Francisco
* West Point
* Carson City
* Charlotte
* Dahlonega
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* Bureau of Engraving and Printing
* Mutilated currency

Current coinage|

* Penny (1¢)
* Nickel (5¢)
* Dime (10¢)
* Quarter (25¢)
* Half dollar (50¢)
* Dollar ($1)

Bullion coinage|

* America the Beautiful (silver)
* American Silver Eagle
* American Gold Eagle
* American Buffalo (gold)
* First Spouse (gold)
* American Platinum Eagle
* American Palladium Eagle
* American Liberty (gold)

Current paper money|

* $1
* $2
* $5
* $10
* $20
* $50
* $100

Discontinued denominations|

* $500
* $1,000
* $5,000
* $10,000
* $100,000

Related|

* Art and engraving on United States banknotes
* Bicentennial coinage
* Black Eagle Silver Certificate
* Brasher Doubloon
* Commemoratives
* Confederate dollar
* Continental banknotes
* Continental dollar coin
* Funnyback
* Large denominations
* Obsolete denominations
* Canceled denominations
* Counterfeit United States currency
* Mill
* National Numismatic Collection
* Coin production
* In God We Trust
* E pluribus unum
* Annuit cœptis
* Novus ordo seclorum
* Nicknames
* Replacement banknote
* Sales tax token
* Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee
* Promotional fake denominations
* Where's George?

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Canceled United States currency and coinage

Topics|

* United States coinage
* United States dollar
* History of the United States dollar
* Obsolete denominations of United States currency

Coins|

* Silver center cent (1792)
* Ring cent (1850–1851, 1853, 1884-1885)
* Two-cent billon (1836)
* Two and a half cent piece (not minted)
* Three-cent bronze (1863)
* Ring nickel (1884-1885)
* Two dollar piece (not minted)

| Gold coins|

* Stella (1879–1880)
* Half union (1877)
* Union (not minted)

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Currency|

* United States three-dollar bill

Portals:

* Money
* Numismatics
* United States

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