Halves

 

 

 

 

                                                          The half dollar first appeared in 1794. Like other coins of the time, it was 89% silver
                                                    and 11% copper. At 32.5mm, it was a large coin, as people expected it to be, since they
                                               valued the coin by the weight of the metal that composed it. That first design, called the
                                            Flowing Hair design, featured Liberty facing right and the reverse displayed an eagle. This
                                         coin only survived for two years and was replaced in 1796 by the Draped Bust, used on other
                                      coins of the time, as well as the shielded eagle which adorned the reverse. These early coins,
                                   including the first two years of the Draped Bust, are very rare today and demand very high prices,
                               making them difficult at best to purchase and do not appear in most display books, including the one
                            I own. Even the Draped Bust half which was made during the 6 years following the turn of the century
                          is expensive enough to be shunned by most ordinary collectors, although I have been lucky enough to
                      acquire one. Thus, the first coin in my book, is the Turban Head, or Capped Bust, which first appeared in
                    1807. This was followed by the Liberty Seated half in 1839 and the Liberty Head (Barber) half in 1892.
                 In 1916 the Liberty Walking half appeared, followed by the Franklin half in 1948. Then in 1963 President
                Kennedy was assassinated and this led to a new design in 1964 featuring his portrait on the obverse. That coin,
              while still being minted, is seldom found in circulation because the public tends to shun carrying half dollars.

            Flowing Hair       Draped Bust       Turban Head     Liberty Seated       Liberty Head      Liberty Walking      Franklin     Kennedy