The Half Dollar Coin: A Brief & Fascinating History
The half dollar coin, more commonly referred to as a 50-Cent piece in the United States, is the largest coin currently still in circulation in the United States both in size and weight. While the current design certainly captures the imagination of children impressed by the size and heft of the coin the half-dollar has a very interesting history throughout the United States.
A Modern Day Oddity
While it is actively circulated in the US today, this is actually quite an unusual coin especially compared to pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Much like the two dollar bill, is still in circulation but still a bit of an oddity to come across on a consistent basis. The current half dollar corn design is the Kennedy half dollar and depicts Pres. John F. Kennedy, the last US head of state to be assassinated. While this is the modern 50-cent piece that most people are familiar with, obviously this hasn't always been the main design.
In fact, although they were produced in decent quantities up until 2002, after that year the US meant stopped producing this coin for use in general circulation. This was due in part to the fact that the client usage was filling up the Federal Reserve vaults with unused half dollar coins even prior to 2002. That being said, the half-dollar coin was actually very popular for many decades in the United States, particularly from around 1900 to 1950. These are used everywhere from regular businesses but also found issued following among the gambling community.
Early half dollar coins were mostly silver, however by the early 1960s the price of silver was getting to the point where it would be worth more than the coins themselves. This is what led to the modern minting of layered composite metals which started in 1965 and is why the core of these coins is copper surrounded by a nickel laminate that creates the outer faces. Coin collectors are not this is about the same time silver was taken out of dimes and quarters as well. That being said, silver was not completely eliminated from the half dollar coin until 1970. The years between saw a reduced amount of silver as the transition took place.
At this point the half-dollar coin's circulation is much more limited than it used to be as most of them come from either a quirky business like an old-school small-town movie theater, from the gambling world where they are still popular, and occasionally from banks when individuals specifically request them. However, considering that even most vending machines do not accept these large coins, they are finding less and less common places of use and are increasingly becoming a thing for collectors.
Some Early History Of The Half Dollar Coin
The first half dollar coins are printed on December 1, 1794 and there were only 5300 of them made. However the beginning of 1795 saw another 18,000 created, and just six years later another 30,000 are made on top of that. Early ones had the famous Heraldic Eagle, which to this day remains a major symbol of the United States (and is still found on the nation's symbol).
As a weird and fun side fact, the old New Orleans mint in 1861 and the printing half dollar coins for three different nations in one year. In the beginning of the year these coins were made for the United States of America, then many more were made for the state (Louisiana was independent for a short time in between the secession from the USA and before joining the CSA). Not many coins have an interesting history like that!
The half dollar coin, more commonly referred to as a 50-Cent piece in the United States, is the largest coin currently still in circulation in the United States both in size and weight. While the current design certainly captures the imagination of children impressed by the size and heft of the coin the half-dollar has a very interesting history throughout the United States.
A Modern Day Oddity
While it is actively circulated in the US today, this is actually quite an unusual coin especially compared to pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Much like the two dollar bill, is still in circulation but still a bit of an oddity to come across on a consistent basis. The current half dollar corn design is the Kennedy half dollar and depicts Pres. John F. Kennedy, the last US head of state to be assassinated. While this is the modern 50-cent piece that most people are familiar with, obviously this hasn't always been the main design.
In fact, although they were produced in decent quantities up until 2002, after that year the US meant stopped producing this coin for use in general circulation. This was due in part to the fact that the client usage was filling up the Federal Reserve vaults with unused half dollar coins even prior to 2002. That being said, the half-dollar coin was actually very popular for many decades in the United States, particularly from around 1900 to 1950. These are used everywhere from regular businesses but also found issued following among the gambling community.
Early half dollar coins were mostly silver, however by the early 1960s the price of silver was getting to the point where it would be worth more than the coins themselves. This is what led to the modern minting of layered composite metals which started in 1965 and is why the core of these coins is copper surrounded by a nickel laminate that creates the outer faces. Coin collectors are not this is about the same time silver was taken out of dimes and quarters as well. That being said, silver was not completely eliminated from the half dollar coin until 1970. The years between saw a reduced amount of silver as the transition took place.
At this point the half-dollar coin's circulation is much more limited than it used to be as most of them come from either a quirky business like an old-school small-town movie theater, from the gambling world where they are still popular, and occasionally from banks when individuals specifically request them. However, considering that even most vending machines do not accept these large coins, they are finding less and less common places of use and are increasingly becoming a thing for collectors.
Some Early History Of The Half Dollar Coin
The first half dollar coins are printed on December 1, 1794 and there were only 5300 of them made. However the beginning of 1795 saw another 18,000 created, and just six years later another 30,000 are made on top of that. Early ones had the famous Heraldic Eagle, which to this day remains a major symbol of the United States (and is still found on the nation's symbol).
As a weird and fun side fact, the old New Orleans mint in 1861 and the printing half dollar coins for three different nations in one year. In the beginning of the year these coins were made for the United States of America, then many more were made for the state (Louisiana was independent for a short time in between the secession from the USA and before joining the CSA). Not many coins have an interesting history like that!