In 1792 a US cent was worth about 20¢ in today’s money. By 1850 it had peaked at just under 26¢ making a half cent equivalent to today’s dime or more. And since commodities typically const only a few cents per pound, bushel or yard, half a cent could make a difference in everyday transactions. That’s why the half cent was one of the original coins specified in the Coin Act of 1792, the legislation that created US money.
When Money Was Real
Well into the 20th century, money, especially coins, represented an actual value in metals like gold, silver, or copper. A dollar coin had a dollar’s worth of silver in it and a cent had one cent’s worth of copper. While gold and silver could be monetized in coins of manageable size, the cheaper copper metal required coins of relatively larger diameters. Thus, the half cent copper coin was 23.5 mm, nearly the size of a quarter today. The cent was even larger, nearly a half dollar size.
Priced Out
By the 1850s the price of copper had risen to the point that making 100% copper cents and half cents cost more than the coins’ worth. That, plus the unpopularity of their large size, led to Mint Director James R. Snowden’s decision to strike a Small Cent of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel and to discontinue the half cent.
Varieties of Half Cents
Half cents sported five different obverses over their 64-year life. In total, about 6.5 million half cents were produced. All were struck in Philadelphia and carried no mintmark.
Liberty Cap Left, 1793
The original 1793 half cent depicted Liberty wearing a cloth cap and facing left. Only about 35,000 coins were struck, making it the rarest of the half cent coins.
Liberty Cap Right, 1794-1797
In 1794, Liberty was turned to face right. About 300,000 coins were struck in this design over the four years ending in 1797 including the smallest mintage of any half cent in 1796 when only 1.390 coins were struck.
Draped Bust, 1800-1808
No half cents were struck in 1798-99 and when minting resumed in 1800, Liberty was depicted with draped shoulders. About 3.5 million Draped Bust half cents were minted from 1800-1808.
Classic Head, 1809-1836
In 1809 Liberty was presented as an older, more matronly figure. Mintages ranged from over 1 million coins in 1809 to a low of 2,200 in 1831. No coins were produced from 1812 to 1824, a period that began with the War of 1812. Production resumed with a run of 63,000 coins in 1825. None were made in 1827 or 1830, and only proof coins were struck in 1836. No coins were struck in 1837, but private businesses made half-cent tokens for small change.
Braided Hair, 1840-1857
From 1840 to 1848 half cents were struck only as proofs for collectors. Noted designer Christian Gobrecht had been charged with creating a new, more youthful Liberty, and on this coin she faced left again. In 1852 only proofs were struck, but as with the earlier proof coins, restrikes were common. In 1857, the half cent’s final year, production had dropped to 35,000 coins.
Rarity and Value
Copper half cents aren’t particularly rare, but the numbers produced in a given year vary considerably, causing some mintages to be more valuable than others. especially low mintage coins in good condition have sold for tens of thousands. An extremely rare 1793 Liberty Cap Left MS-66 coin sold for $240,000 at auction in 2018, while common dates in circulated condition can be had for $150-300.
Collecting Half Cent Coppers
Half cent copper coins make interesting additions to any collection and are available in good condition at reasonable prices. For a look at price ranges for silver “trimes,” visit the PCGS Coin Facts website.
