Half Dime, Seated Liberty, Coin Type from United States (showing photos)

Half Dime, Seated Liberty, Coin Type from United States (issued 1837 - 1873)

Coin Type	Half Dime, Seated Liberty

The Half Dime is an American silver coin with a face value of five cents which was minted between 1794 and 1873. These coins were much smaller than dimes in diameter and thickness, appearing to be "half dimes" and are called so from the start, even though until 1837 this was not actually spelled out on the coins themselves.

After the initial issue of a "Half Disme" in 1794 (note the additional S in the name) - which many people consider a pattern, the "Flowing Hair" type was only struck for two years and was replaced by the "Draped Bust" type, then the Capped Bust obverse until 1837. In 1837, the type was replaced by the Seated Liberty type, and composition was changed to 90% silver and 10% copper. The weight was 1.34 grams initially, then changed to 1.24 grams in 1853. The lighter coins were initially marked by having arrow heads on both sides of the date. The arrows stayed in the design until 1855 and were then removed (the coins remained lighter). This design change was also implemented on the one dime, quarter dollar and half dollar coins, which were also made lighter.

The Seated Liberty portrait designs appeared on most regular-issue silver United States coinage from 1836 through 1891. The denominations which feature the Goddess of Liberty in a Seated Liberty design include the half dime, the dime, the quarter, the half dollar, and until 1873 the silver dollar, as well as the short-lived twenty cent piece. The obverse shows Liberty seated on a rock, holding a pole with a Liberty cap on it and supporting a shield. On the reverse, the denomination is spelled as HALF DIME, unlike on earlier or later types.

The silver format of the half dime was discontinued in 1873, but the coins have never been demonetised and are still legal tender. This, of course, is of academic interest only, as their numismatic value is enormously higher than their face value.

Obverse

The obverse of the coin shows the symbolic figure of Liberty clad in a flowing dress and seated upon a rock. In her left hand, she holds a Liberty pole surmounted by a Phrygian cap (a type of cap which in Ancient Rome was worn by freed slaves). With her right hand, she supports the Union Shield, which has thirteen vertical stripes, white and red, with a blue horizontal bar on top. The colours are represented by heraldic hatching (thin lines indicating the colour - horizontal stripes for blue, vertical for red, no stripes for white). Across the shield, a diagonal banner inscribed with the word LIBERTY.

During 1840, the design was slightly modified with additional drapery of Liberty's dress, flowing down from her left elbow.

Between 1838 and 1859, there were thirteen stars around above representing the 13 original states. In 1860 and later, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA instead.

In the exergue below the figure, the date of issue: [year]. Between 1853 and 1855, arrows on both sides of the date indicate a reduction in the weight of the denomination.

The rim is beaded.

Obverse Inscription	************* [year]

Reverse

There were two versions of the reverse design. Both of them display, at centre, the value and denomination HALF DIME (five cents) on two lines, surrounded by a wreath.

The earlier reverse (1837 to 1859), by Christian Gobrecht, has a laurel wreath surrounding the value. Around the outer rim, the name of the country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The later reverse (1860 to 1873), by James Barton Longacre, has a larger and more detailed wreath of wheat (called a "cereal wreath" by some sources) and no legend around (it was transferred to the obverse).

Coins struck by the Philadelphia Mint have no mint mark. Coins struck by other mints have a mint mark in the form of a small letter above (1838 - 1859, 1870 - 1872) or below (1860 - 1869, 1872 - 1873) the ribbon tying the wreath.

The rim is beaded.

Reverse Inscription	HALF DIME UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Notes	In some online catalogues, the denomination is cryptically abbreviated as "H10C", from "half 10-cent", or "half dime"...

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Royal Mint

Coin Type: Half Dime, Seated Liberty - (37) Coins

Coin Name	Reverse	Obverse	Details
Half Dime 1837 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 1,405,000
Half Dime 1838 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 2,225,000 - New Orleans Mint: 70,000 Total Mintage: 2,295,000
Half Dime 1839 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,069,150 - New Orleans Mint: 1,060,000 Total Mintage: 2,129,150
Half Dime 1840 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,344,085 - New Orleans Mint: 935,000 Total Mintage: 2,279,085
Half Dime 1841 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,150,000 - New Orleans Mint: 815,000 Total Mintage: 1,965,000
Half Dime 1842 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 815,000 - New Orleans Mint: 350,000 Total Mintage: 1,165,000
Half Dime 1843 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 1,165,000
Half Dime 1844 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 430,000 - New Orleans Mint: 220,000 Total Mintage: 650,000
Half Dime 1845 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 1,564,000
Half Dime 1846 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 27,000
Half Dime 1847 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 1,274,000
Half Dime 1848 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 668,000 - New Orleans Mint: 600,000 Total Mintage: 1,268,000
Half Dime 1849 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,309,000 - New Orleans Mint: 140,000 Total Mintage: 1,449,000
Half Dime 1850 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 955,000 - New Orleans Mint: 690,000 Total Mintage: 1,645,000
Half Dime 1851 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - New Orleans Mint: 860,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 781,000 Total Mintage: 1,641,000
Half Dime 1852 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,000,500 - New Orleans Mint: 260,000 Total Mintage: 1,260,500
Half Dime 1853 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 13,345,020 - New Orleans Mint: 2,360,000 Total Mintage: 15,705,020
Half Dime 1854 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 5,740,000 - New Orleans Mint: 1,560,000 Total Mintage: 7,300,000
Half Dime 1855 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,750,000 - New Orleans Mint: 600,000 Total Mintage: 2,350,000
Half Dime 1856 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 4,880,000 - New Orleans Mint: 1,100,000 Total Mintage: 5,980,000
Half Dime 1857 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 7,280,000 - New Orleans Mint: 1,380,000 Total Mintage: 8,660,000
Half Dime 1858 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 3,500,300 - New Orleans Mint: 1,660,000 Total Mintage: 5,160,300
Half Dime 1859 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - New Orleans Mint: 560,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 340,800 Total Mintage: 900,800
Half Dime 1860 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - New Orleans Mint: 1,060,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 799,000 Total Mintage: 1,859,000
Half Dime 1861 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 3,361,000
Half Dime 1862 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mint: Philadelphia Mint Mintage: 1,492,550
Half Dime 1863 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 100,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 18,460 Total Mintage: 118,460
Half Dime 1864 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 90,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 48,470 Total Mintage: 138,470
Half Dime 1865 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 120,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 13,500 Total Mintage: 133,500
Half Dime 1866 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 120,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 10,725 Total Mintage: 130,725
Half Dime 1867 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 120,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 8,625 Total Mintage: 128,625
Half Dime 1868 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 280,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 89,200 Total Mintage: 369,200
Half Dime 1869 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - San Francisco Mint: 230,000 - Philadelphia Mint: 208,600 Total Mintage: 438,600
Half Dime 1870 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 536,000 - San Francisco Mint: 1 Total Mintage: 536,001
Half Dime 1871 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 1,873,960 - San Francisco Mint: 161,000 Total Mintage: 2,034,960
Half Dime 1872 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 2,947,950 - San Francisco Mint: 837,000 Total Mintage: 3,784,950
Half Dime 1873 Seated Liberty			Material: 0.900 Silver Mints: - Philadelphia Mint: 712,600 - San Francisco Mint: 324,000 Total Mintage: 1,036,600

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Royal Mint

Half Dime, Seated Liberty: Details

Country	United States
Currency	US Dollar
Sub-type of	Five Cents
From	1837
To	1873
Face Value	5 (x Cent)
Current	No; withdrawn 1873
Material	0.900 Silver
Designer	Christian Gobrecht, James Barton Longacre
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Coin Alignment (Axis 6)
Size	15.5000 mm
Thickness	1.9500 mm
Mass	1.3400 g

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Half Dime, Seated Liberty, Coin Type from United States - detailed information