Half cent (United States coin)

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 2024 values.^[1] It was minted with five different designs.

"Half cent" redirects here. For the English equivalent, see Half penny (disambiguation). For the Dutch coin, see Half-cent coin (Netherlands).

Half cent

United States
Value	0.5 cents or 0.005 US dollars
Diameter	23.5 mm
Thickness	2 mm
Edge	lettered (1793, 1797) plain (1794–1857) gripped (1797)
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

Half cent types

Liberty Cap (facing left)

Liberty Cap (facing right)

Draped Bust

Classic Head

Braided Hair

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

• Money portal
• Numismatics portal
• United States portal

• Penny (United States coin), the second smallest denomination of United States coin minted