Half Dollar 1805 Draped Bust, Coin from United States - detailed information

The obverse of the coin shows the draped bust of Liberty, with long hair tied by a ribbon, facing right.

Around above, the inscription LIBERTY. Around the rim, thirteen stars (seven to the left and six to the right) representing the original 13 states.

Below the portrait, the date of issue: 1805.

The rim is denticled (toothed).

At centre, the reverse of the coin shows the main part of the obverse (or front) of the Great Seal of the United States, which displays the full achievement of the national coat of arms. The design has the Union Shield at centre, legally blazoned as "paleways of 13 pieces, argent and gules; a chief, azure" (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).

The supporter of the shield is a bald eagle with its wings outstretched (or "displayed", in heraldic terms). From the eagle's perspective, it holds a bundle of seven arrows in its right talon, and an olive branch in its left talon. In its beak, the eagle clutches a scroll with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM ("Out of Many, One"). Over its head there appears a "glory" of clouds and 13 mullets (stars).

The recurring number 13 refers to the 13 original states. The arrows and olive branch together symbolise that the United States has "a strong desire for peace, but will always be ready for war". The eagle has its head turned towards the arrows - unlike later versions where it looks towards the olive branch, to symbolise a preference for peace.

Around, the name of the country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The rim is denticled (toothed). The value and denomination are not inscribed on the reverse, but are on the edge of the coin instead.

No half dollars were produced in 1804. However, it seems like the dies had been prepared to do so, because a number of 1805-dated coins are "overdates", where the number 5 in the date was punched over a pre-existing 4.