Half cent (United States coin)
1793–1857 American coin worth 0.5 cents
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The half cent was the smallest denomination of United States coin ever minted. It was first minted in 1793 and last minted in 1857. In that time, it had purchasing power equivalent to between 12¢ and 17¢ in 2025 values.[1] It was minted with five different designs.
- lettered (1793, 1797)
- plain (1794–1857)
- gripped (1797)
United States | |
| Value | 0.5 cents or 0.005 US dollars |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23.5 mm |
| Thickness | 2 mm |
| Edge |
|
| Composition | 100% copper |
| Years of minting | 1793–1857 |
| Obverse | |
| |
| Design | Lady Liberty with braided hair |
| Designer | Christian Gobrecht |
| Design date | 1840 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Design | Denomination surrounded by a wreath |
| Design date | 1840 |
| Design discontinued | 1857 |
History
First authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792 on April 2, 1792,[2] the coin was produced in the United States from 1793 to 1857. The half-cent piece was made of 100% copper and half of a cent, or one two-hundredth of a dollar (five milles). It was slightly smaller than a modern U.S. quarter with diameters 22 mm (1793),[2] 23.5 mm (1794–1836),[3] and 23 mm (1840–1857).[4] They were all produced at the Philadelphia Mint.
The Coinage Act of February 21, 1857, discontinued the half-cent and the similar large cent, and authorized the small cent (Flying Eagle cent).[5]
Design varieties
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There are several different types of half cents:
- Liberty Cap, Facing left (designed and engraved by Henry Voigt) – issued 1793
- Liberty Cap, Facing right (large head designed by Robert Scot, small head designed by Scot-John Gardner, engraved by Robert Scot) – issued 1794 to 1797
- Draped Bust (obverse designed by Gilbert Stuart and Robert Scot, reverse designed by Scot-John Gardner, engraved by Robert Scot) – issued 1800 to 1808
- Classic Head (designed and engraved by Robert Scot or John Reich) – issued 1809 to 1836
- Braided Hair (designed by Christian Gobrecht) – issued 1840 to 1857
There are no mint marks on any of the coins (all minted at the Philadelphia Mint) and the edges are plain on most half cents. On the 1793, 1794, and some 1795 coins and a variety of the 1797 coin, it was lettered TWO HUNDRED FOR A DOLLAR and another 1797 variety had a gripped, or milled, edge.
Mintage figures
Liberty Cap, facing left
- 1793 – 35,334
Liberty Cap, facing right
- 1794 – 81,600
- 1795 – 139,690
- 1796 – 1,390
- 1797 – 127,840
Draped Bust
- 1800 – 202,908
- 1802 – 20,266
- 1803 – 92,000
- 1804 – 1,055,312
- 1805 – 814,464
- 1806 – 356,000
- 1807 – 476,000
- 1808 – 400,000
Classic Head (Shown at top right)
- 1809 – 1,154,572
- 1810 – 215,000
- 1811 – 63,140
- 1825 – 63,000
- 1826 – 234,000
- 1828 – 606,000
- 1829 – 487,000
- 1831 – 2,200
- 1832 – 51,000
- 1833 – 103,000
- 1834 – 141,000
- 1835 – 398,000
- 1836 – proof only, restrikes were made
- 1837 – No half cents were struck by the United States government; however, due to the need for small change, half-cent tokens were produced by private businessmen.
Braided Hair
- 1840 through 1849 were proof-only issues. There were restrikes made.
- 1849 – 39,864
- 1850 – 39,812
- 1851 – 147,672
- 1852 – proof only. Restrikes were made.
- 1853 – 129,694
- 1854 – 55,358
- 1855 – 56,500
- 1856 – 40,430
- 1857 – 35,180
See also
- Penny (United States coin), the second smallest denomination of United States coin minted
- Philippine half-centavo coin, similar denomination issued for the U.S. territory