Half Cent Coins

(1793 – 1857)

Although the Half Cent had a face value of just 1/200th of a dollar and was roughly the size of a modern-day quarter, it played a surprisingly important role in early American commerce. First authorized by Congress in 1792, the Half Cent was struck by the United States Mint from 1793 until its discontinuation in 1857.

Design Evolution and Controversy

The original 1793 Half Cent, designed by Henry Voigt, featured a youthful Lady Liberty with flowing hair, loosely secured with what some believe is a cap and others think is a bow. The reverse displayed either a ring of chain or a wreath, depending on the production time that year. The chain imagery quickly drew criticism for its perceived ties to slavery, prompting a redesign.

Despite its utility in commerce, the Half Cent’s appearance was widely disliked. Critics pointed out the awkward proportions and facial features of the original Liberty design. However, later iterations were more refined and better received.

Subsequent redesigns reflect shifts in American iconography and political mood:

• 1794: Joseph Wright’s redesign showed Liberty with more controlled hair and a Phrygian cap—an international symbol of freedom.

• 1796: Chief Engraver Robert Scot gave Liberty a right-facing, more mature appearance and changed the reverse to an olive wreath symbolizing peace.

• 1808: The “Classic Head” design presented Liberty in a Greek-style headband, reminiscent of ancient athletic laurels.

• 1840–1857: The final design, often called the “Braided Hair” type, showed Liberty with neatly styled hair. This version remained unchanged until the series’ end.

Importance and Collectability

While Half Cents are often overlooked due to their small denomination, they are highly significant to collectors for their age, scarcity, and design diversity. Collecting the full series of Half Cents is a rewarding challenge, as many examples are now more than 200 years old. Factors such as condition, mintage numbers, and design variation all influence value, but age and rarity tend to dominate.

Valuation Chart

(Note: Values are for typical circulated coins. Uncirculated, proof, or certified examples can fetch significantly higher prices.)

Historical Context Year-By-Year

• 1793: First U.S. Half Cent struck; Liberty Cap design introduced. – The French Revolution is in full swing; King Louis XVI is executed.

• 1794: Coin design adjusted with a smaller head of Liberty. – The Whiskey Rebellion begins in Pennsylvania over liquor taxation.

• 1795: Continued use of Liberty Cap design. – James Watt builds the first commercially viable steam engine.

• 1796: No half cents were minted. – Tennessee becomes the 16th U.S. state.

• 1797: Half cent production resumed; low mintage. – John Adams becomes the 2nd U.S. President.

• 1798: No half cents struck. – The Quasi-War begins between the U.S. and France.

• 1799: No half cents minted. – George Washington dies at Mount Vernon.

• 1800: No half cents minted. – The U.S. capital officially moves to Washington, D.C.

• 1801: Coinage resumes with Draped Bust design. – Thomas Jefferson becomes President of the United States.

• 1802: Low mintage; continued Draped Bust design. – Napoleon sells Louisiana to France from Spain, setting up the Louisiana Purchase.

• 1803: Production resumes; very low mintage. – U.S. completes the Louisiana Purchase from France.

• 1804: Low half cent mintage. – Lewis and Clark begin their expedition west.

• 1805: Slight design updates; low mintage. – The First Barbary War ends with peace between the U.S. and Tripoli.

• 1806: Final year of Draped Bust half cents. – The British Parliament passes the Slave Trade Act.

• 1807: Classic Head design introduced by John Reich. – Robert Fulton’s steamboat makes its first successful trip.

• 1808: Mintage remains low with Classic Head. – The U.S. bans the importation of enslaved people.

• 1809: Continued Classic Head design. – Abraham Lincoln is born in Kentucky.

• 1810: Steady coin production. – Beethoven composes Für Elise.

• 1811: Final half cents before a wartime hiatus. – The Battle of Tippecanoe occurs in Indiana Territory.

• 1812: No half cents minted due to the War of 1812. – U.S. declares war on Great Britain.

• 1813: No coinage. – Jane Austen publishes Pride and Prejudice.

• 1814: No half cents minted. – British troops burn Washington, D.C.; Star-Spangled Banner is written.

• 1815: No coinage struck. – Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

• 1816: No half cents minted. – The Second Bank of the United States is established.

• 1817: Coinage resumes with the new Coronet Head design. – The Erie Canal begins construction in New York.

• 1818: Steady half cent production. – Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state.

• 1819: Coinage continues; moderate mintage. – The U.S. acquires Florida from Spain.

• 1820: Multiple varieties of 1820 half cent produced. – Missouri Compromise temporarily eases tensions over slavery.

• 1821: Coinage continues. – Mexico gains independence from Spain.

• 1822: Steady minting; fewer known varieties. – The first group of freed American slaves settle in Liberia.

• 1823: No half cents struck. – The Monroe Doctrine is declared, opposing European colonialism in the Americas.

• 1824: Half cent production resumes. – John Quincy Adams wins the presidency through a controversial House vote.

• 1825: Steady mintage. – The Erie Canal is completed, linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

• 1826: Continued production. – Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die on July 4th, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

• 1827: No half cents minted. – Beethoven dies in Vienna.

• 1828: Coinage resumes with Classic Head style. – Andrew Jackson is elected U.S. President.

• 1829: Moderate mintage. – The first modern typewriter is patented.

• 1830: Half cent coinage continues. – Indian Removal Act is signed into law by President Jackson.

• 1831: No half cents struck. – Nat Turner’s rebellion shakes the American South.

• 1832: Production resumes. – Charles Darwin sets sail aboard the HMS Beagle.

• 1833: No half cents minted. – The American Anti-Slavery Society is founded.

• 1834: Mintage resumes; moderate production. – The British Empire abolishes slavery in most colonies.

• 1835: Steady production. – The Great Fire of New York destroys 17 city blocks.

• 1836: Half cent coinage continues. – The Battle of the Alamo occurs in Texas.

• 1837: Final year for Classic Head half cents. – Financial Panic of 1837 triggers a major recession.

• 1838: New Braided Hair design introduced. – Trail of Tears begins, forcibly relocating Native American tribes.

• 1839: Braided Hair design continues. – Daguerreotype photography is introduced in France.

• 1840: Steady coinage. – Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert.

• 1841: Continued minting. – President William Henry Harrison dies after just 31 days in office.

• 1842: Low mintage. – Charles Dickens publishes Barnaby Rudge.

• 1843: Half cent production continues. – The first wagon trains begin traveling the Oregon Trail.

• 1844: Continued coinage. – The first telegraph message is sent by Samuel Morse.

• 1845: Minting proceeds. – Texas is annexed into the United States.

• 1846: Standard production. – The Mexican-American War begins.

• 1847: Regular minting. – The first U.S. postage stamp is issued featuring Benjamin Franklin.

• 1848: Coinage continues. – Gold is discovered at Sutter’s Mill, sparking the California Gold Rush.

• 1849: Steady production. – The first women’s rights convention is held in Seneca Falls, NY.

• 1850: Moderate mintage. – California becomes the 31st U.S. state.

• 1851: Continued coinage. – The New York Times is founded.

• 1852: Half cent production remains stable. – Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

• 1853: Mintages begin to decline. – The Gadsden Purchase expands U.S. territory in the Southwest.

• 1854: Coinage declines further. – The Republican Party is founded in opposition to the spread of slavery.

• 1855: Low mintage year. – Walt Whitman publishes Leaves of Grass.

• 1856: Final year of business strike half cents; coins made only for sets. – Bleeding Kansas violence escalates over slavery.

• 1857: U.S. Half Cent officially discontinued by the Coinage Act of 1857. – The SS Central America sinks with tons of gold, contributing to the Panic of 1857.

Final Thoughts on the Half Cent

Though it carried the smallest denomination in U.S. coinage, the Half Cent holds a remarkably oversized place in the nation’s numismatic history. First minted in 1793 and struck until 1857, the Half Cent wasn’t just pocket change—it played a real role in the early American economy, especially when even a few cents could buy basic goods. It was introduced during a time when the U.S. Mint was still in its infancy, and it reflects the country’s first attempts at establishing a stable, unified currency system. As the nation grew, evolved, and faced challenges—political, economic, and social—the Half Cent quietly marked those changes in metal.

Design-wise, this humble coin saw multiple transitions that mirrored the young nation’s shifting ideals. From the Liberty Cap designs (1793–1797) inspired by classical freedom symbolism, to the more refined Draped Bust (1800–1808), Classic Head (1809–1836), and finally the Braided Hair type (1840–1857), each design tells a story about American identity, artistic trends, and Mint innovation. These weren’t mass-produced in the way later coins were; low mintages and primitive striking technology make surviving Half Cents especially appealing to collectors. Studying them isn’t just about finding rare dates or varieties—it’s about exploring the roots of American coinage, understanding the country’s early financial struggles, and appreciating the craftsmanship that went into producing these small but mighty pieces of copper.