Half dollar (United States coin)
The half dollars (english half dollar ) is a coin of the United States worth 50 cents or half a dollar. Since 1964, the coin depicts on the front of the portrait of John F. Kennedy and the back of the seal of the President of the United States. In daily payments it is rarely used.
History
The half dollar was first minted in 1794. All early models bear on the front of a portrait of Liberty and on the reverse an eagle coat of arms. Named after the various Liberty representations of the following types:
- Flowing Hair Half Dollar (1794-1795)
- Draped Bust Half Dollar (1796-1807)
- Capped Bust Half Dollar (1807-1839)
- Seated Liberty Half Dollar (1839-1891)
- Barber Half Dollar (1892-1915)
- Walking Liberty Half Dollar (1916-1947)
Franklin Half Dollar
The " Franklin Half" was coined from 1948 to 1963. He points to the front of Benjamin Franklin and on the back of the Liberty Bell. The design comes from John R. Sinnock.
Kennedy Half Dollar
The " Kennedy Half" replaced in 1964, just three months after Kennedy's assassination, the " Franklin Half". The obverse shows the portrait of John F. Kennedy, designed by Frank Gasparro; the back shows the Seal of the President of the United States and was also designed by Frank Gasparro.
The strikes of 1964 were still like the earlier half dollar 90 % silver ( with a weight of 12.5 grams). Due to the increasing price of silver coin from 1965 to 1970 was marked only with a silver content of 40 % and a weight of 11.5 grams. From 1971, as previously omitted entirely in the quarter dollar and the dime, the silver and used with copper - nickel -coated copper.
1976 was the half- dollar to two- hundred -year anniversary of American Independence, a special back design with Independence Hall.
The half dollars in circulation
In the first half of the 20th century, the half dollar had a great significance for payments. In the 1960s, the rising price of silver, but also the new design with the popular President Kennedy to the fact that the coin was hoarded in large scale. 1971, when the nominal was first coined without silver content, the population had grown accustomed to the payments without half dollars and used the coin any more. Most slot machines do not accept half- dollar, which makes the coin additionally unattractive as payment. Because there are some reserves from previous years, which can meet the low demand problems, half dollars are coined only in small numbers for collectors since 2001.
Specifications
Since 1971, the coin is made of a copper core and a coating made of a copper -nickel alloy. The weight proportions (related to the entire coin) be 91.67 % copper and 8.33% nickel.
The coin is 11.34 grams and a diameter of 30.61 mm and a thickness of 2.15 millimeters. The edge is serrated (150 grooves).