Half Cents

As unusual as it sounds today, the U.S. once issued a coin worth less than one cent. The first half cent was made of copper and began being produced in 1792. The half cent had a lifespan of 64 years as a circulating coin with five different basic design types.

The tiny coin’s (0.93-inch) designers and engravers are some of the best known names in the U.S. Mint’s designing and engraving history: Robert Scot, John Gardner, Adam Eckfeldt, Gilbert Stuart, John Reich and Christian Gobrecht. The half cent designs were incorporated on other denominations later throughout many years.

The Liberty Cap half cent of 1793 has a lettered edge with the words ‘two hundred for a dollar’. The coin’s front shows a bust of lady Liberty with flowing hair. She is facing left and has a Liberty Cap on a pole that is resting on her right shoulder. Another Liberty Cap half cent was struck between 1794 and 1797 only this one has Liberty facing right and it was issued with a plain, lettered and gripped edge.

The Draped Bust design was used on half cents that were minted from 1800 to 1808. Every half cent with these years were of the plain edged variety.

Between 1809 and 1836 the Classic Head design was used and from 1849 through 1857, a Coronet design with a plain edge was used. Every half cent has a wreath on the reverse side.

There are no mint marks on any of the half cent coins and they were all minted at the Philadelphia Mint.

The half cent was unwanted in America and over the several decades of lifespan of this coin, very few actually circulated, although they were used by the poorest people. The coins were considered a nuisance and they were long neglected by collectors until later years.