Half dollar (United States coin)
United States | |
Value | 0.50 Presidential Seal |
---|---|
Designer | Frank Gasparro |
Design date | 1964 |
The half dollar, sometimes referred to as the half for short[
Though seldom used today, half-dollar coins have a long history of heavy use alongside other denominations of US coinage, but have become uncommon in general circulation for several reasons. Half-dollars were produced in fairly large quantities until the year 2002, when the U.S. Mint reduced production of the coin and ceased minting them for general circulation. As a result of its decreasing usage, many pre-2002 half dollars remain in Federal Reserve vaults, prompting the change in production. Presently, collector half dollars can be ordered directly from the U.S. Mint,
Circulation
Half-dollar coins saw heavy circulation until the mid 1960s. For many years, they were (and in many areas still are) commonly used by gamblers at casinos and other venues with slot machines.
in increments. Additionally, some concession vendors at sporting events distribute half-dollar coins as change for convenience.By the early 1960s, the rising price of
From 2001-2020, half dollars were minted only for collectors, due to large Federal Reserve and government inventories on hand of pre-2001 coins; this is mostly due to lack of demand and large quantity returns from casino slot machines that now operate "coin-less". Eventually, when the reserve supply runs low, the mint will again fill orders for circulation half dollars.[4] It took 18 years (1981–1999) for the large inventory stockpile of another low-demand coin, the Susan B. Anthony dollar, to reach reserve levels low enough to again strike pieces for circulation. Modern-date half dollars can be purchased in proof sets, mint sets, rolls, and bags from the U.S. Mint, and existing inventory circulation pieces can be obtained or ordered through most U.S. banks and credit unions. All collector issues since 2001 have had much lower mintages than in previous years. Although intended only for collectors, 2001-2020 half dollars can often be found in circulation.[5]
Aspects of early history
On December 1, 1794, the first half dollars, approximately 5,300 pieces, were delivered. Another 18,000 were produced in January 1795 using dies of 1794, to save the expense of making new ones.[6] Another 30,000 pieces were struck by the end of 1801. The coin had the Heraldic Eagle, based on the Great Seal of the United States on the reverse.[6] 150,000 were minted in 1804 but struck with dies from 1803, so no 1804 specimens exist, though there were some pieces dated 1805 that carried a "5 over 4" overdate.[6]
In 1838, half-dollar dies were produced in the
In 1861, the New Orleans mint produced coins for three different governments. A total of 330,000 were struck under the United States government, 1,240,000 for the State of Louisiana after it seceded from the Union, and 962,633 after it joined the Confederacy. Since the same die was used for all strikings, the output looks identical. However the Confederate States of America actually minted four half dollars with a CSA (rather than USA) reverse and the obverse die they used had a small die crack. Thus "regular" 1861 half dollars with this crack probably were used by the Confederates for some of the mass striking.[12]
There are two varieties of Kennedy half dollars in the proof set issues of 1964. Initially, the die was used with accented hair, showing deeper lines than the president's widow,
List of designs
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List of early commemorative issues
See also
References
- ^ U.S. MINT Catalog
- ^ a b "kennedy-half-dollars". United States Mint. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Gilkes, Paul. "2021-P Kennedy half dollars now being found in circulation". Coin World. Amos Media Company. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ "Half Dollar". US Mint. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ United States Half Dollars Denver Coin Store. Web. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d Julian, R.W. (December 2006). "All About the Half Dollar". The Numismatist. 119 (12): 38.
- ^ U.S. Archives, general correspondence of the Philadelphia Mint box 39
- ^ "Treatise on coinage of The United States Branch Mints " published 1893/ author Augustus Heaton
- ^ [1] Proof-63
- ^ "The Surprising History Of The 1838-O Half Dollar " published Jan 2012 by Ivy Press/ David Stone and Mark Van Winkle authors Heritage
- ^ [2] Proof-64
- ^ "The SS Republic Shipwreck Project: the Coin Collection, p.23" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
- ^ "What exactly is an Accented Hair Kennedy?". Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1794–95 Half Dollar Flowing Hair". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1796–97 Half Dollar Draped Bust Small Eagle". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1801–07 Half Dollar Draped Bust Heraldic Eagle". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1807–36 Half Dollar Capped Bust Lettered Edge". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1836–39 Half Dollar Capped Bust Reeded Edge". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1839–66 Half Dollar Seated Liberty No Motto". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1866–91 Half Dollar Seated Liberty With Motto". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Archived from the original on April 4, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1892–1915 Half Dollar Barber". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1916–47 Half Dollar Walking Liberty". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1948–63 Half Dollar Franklin". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ NGC Photo Proof (1994). "1964 – Half Dollar Kennedy". CoinSite. ROKO Design Group, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2009.