Half Cent (United States)

The half cent coin was produced in the United States from 1793-1857. The half-cent piece was made of 100% copper. It was slightly smaller than a modern U.S. quarter, with a diameter of 23.5 mm (0.93 inch). Although it is the lowest face value coin ever produced by the United States, given nineteenth century price levels, in terms of purchasing power, the 1857 half cent would be equivalent to $0.12 in current money.

There are several different types of half cents:

Liberty Cap, Left (designed/engraved by Adam Eckfeldt) - issued 1793
Liberty Cap, 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/engraved by John Reich) - issued 1809 to 1835
Coronet (obverse designed by Robert Scot and Christian Gobrecht, reverse designed by John Reich and Christian Gobrecht, engraved by Christian Gobrecht) - issued 1849 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 coin 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 are the following:

Liberty Cap, Left

* 1793 - 35,334

Liberty Cap, 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

* 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.

Coronet

* 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

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