Silveric Matter

 The silver Kennedy Half Dollar came about shortly after the assassination of the President John F. Kennedy, on November 22nd, 1963, the United States’ Congress authorized putting his portrait on the half dollar on December 30th, 1963.  The United States mint was already well on the way.  Miss Eva Adams, the Director of the had called the Mint’s Chef Engraver, Gilroy Roberts, on November 22nd to inform him that John F. Kennedy’s portrait was going to be on either the quarter, half, or one dollar coin.  Miss Adams called back on November 27th and told Roberts that it had been decided that the half-dollar had been selected. The United States’ half dollar coins are the second most consistently minted US coins.  The penny is the only coin that continually is minted.  The dollar coin is the most inconsistent of the current coins being minted (I just heard the other day that the current One Dollar Coin will not be minted in 2012).  Mrs. Kennedy had told Adam...

  1950 Franklin Half Dollar The silver Franklin Half Dollar (1948 to 1963) was based on designs by the United States Mint eighth Chef Engraver, John R. Sinnock before he passed away on May 14th, 1947.   Sinnock original Franklin coin designs were at first intended for the dime in 1941, however new designs were postponed due to World War II and the heavy demands for dimes.  After Franklin D. Roosevelt died it was decided that the silver dime would be perfect memorial for FRD considering his roll associated with the ‘March of Dimes’.  Sinnock set aside his Benjamin Franklin design and designed the Roosevelt dime which is still in use today. In 1947 the Mint director, Nellie Tayloe Ross, asked Sinnock to adapt his dime designs for the silver half-dollar.  After Sinnock passed away his designs his successor, Gilroy Roberts to finalize the designs and eventually make the engravings and for the Franklin Half Dollar from the late Sinnock’s design. In 1792 Congress...

  1941 LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR obverse  (photo by Woody1778a*) The Walking Liberty Half Dollar was designed by sculptor Adolph A. Weinman in 1916 and was minted from 1916 to 1945.  It weighs 12.50 grams, 30.6mm diameter, and 1.8mm thick.  It's made of 90% silver and 10% copper and minted in Denver (mint marked D), San Francisco (mint marked S) and Philadelphia (showing no mint mark).  The Edge is reeded. The obverse is a recreation of Adolph A. Weinman’s 1916 Walking Liberty design from the United State’s silver half dollar minted from 1916 to 1947. This iconic popular image has “LIBERTY” encircling the top half below the rim, “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the lower left of the coin, and the date on the very bottom rim. The reverse has a walking bald eagle facing left with opened wings and a small tree to the left.  The denomination; “HALF DOLLAR” is written encircling underneath the eagle. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” is written encircling above.  “E PLURIBUS UNUM” ...

  1893 Barber Half Dollar The Barber Half Dollar silver coin was minted from 1892 to 1916.  They are named after their designer Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber.   They all have a reeded edge and composed of 90% silver and 10% copper.  The Barber silver half dollar coin is 30.6mm in diameter and weighs 12.5 grams. The obverse of the Barber Half Dollar has a Liberty head which looks similar to the Morgan dollar's Liberty however it faces right and the hair is under a cap which has a laurel wreath tied with a ribbon at the back and a band with “LIBERTY” inscribed on it.  The date is directly underneath with “IN GOD WE TRUST” encircling the top of the coin.  There are six stars encircling the right and seven on the left of the coin. Its reverse has a bald eagle herald with the national shield.  The right talon clutches an olive branch and the left clutches thirteen arrows.  In the beak is a ribbon with the inscription “E PLURIBUS UNIM”.  ...

1853 Seated Liberty Half Dollar with arrows obverse and rays The Seated Liberty Half Dollars were minted from 1839 to 1891.  These 30.6 millimeter diameter silver coins weigh 13.36 grams from 1839 to 1853 (Type I) and changed to 12.4 grams from 1853 to 1873 (Types II, III, IV, V) then 12.5 grams in 1873 to 1891 (Types VI and VII) with a content of 90% silver and 10% copper all have a reeded edge. The Seated Liberty Half Dollars were struck in Philadelphia with no mint mark during the whole series’ run except 1853 Type I but including various numbers of Proofs for every year and Type including a unique Proof silver coin in 1866 without the Motto. Strikes in New Orleans having “O” started in 1840 through 1861, with Proof strikes in 1852 then again in 1861, about 5 Proof coins were struck. San Francisco “S” starting striking these in 1855 to 1878 and Carson City “CC” started striking the Seated Liberty Half Dollars in 1870 through 1878. The obverse was based on Thomas Sully’s painting...

1838 Capped Bust Half Dollar The Capped Bust Half Dollar was struck between 1807 thru 1839.  There are rumors of Proof coins being struck in 1817 thru 1819, but only from 1820 through the end of the series are known Proof coins known.  Usually about five or ten Proofs were coined each year although as many as twenty had been struck for a couple of the years. This silver coin has a myriad of variations, far beyond the scope of this short article, although the 1817/4 is highly sought after and carries a heavy price of tens of thousands of dollars for a G4 and then up from There are three design types… First there is the Capped Bust Half Dollar with Lettered Edge. In 1807 to 1836 these silver half dollars have a “Lettered Edge” which reads “FIFTY CENTS OF HALF A DOLLAR”.  These are 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper, weigh 13.48 grams, ranging from 32 to 33 millimeters in diameter, and designed by John Reich. 1824 Capped Bust Half Dollar The obverse has Liberty bust facing left...

 The Draped Bust Half Dollar was minted from 1796 thru 1807.  There are two types.  The “small eagle reverse” which was designed by John Eckstein and struck in 1796 and 1797 for a total of 3,918.  The “large eagle reverse” or “herald eagle reverse” was designed by Roberts Scot and struck from 1801 thru 1807 for 1,600,787 silver coins.  The grand total of both types was 1,604,705. The Draped Bust Half Dollars are 89.2% silver and 10.76% weighing 13.5 grams and 32.5 millimeters in diameter.  The edges are lettered “FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR” with various ornaments between the word. The obverse for the Draped Bust Half Dollar was designed by Robert Scot based on a drawing by Gilbert Stuart.  Stuart was displeased with the resulting dies and disowned the drawing.  Stuart wasn’t associated with the Capped Bust design until 1887 when the American Journal of Numismatics printed an article about his contribution.  Liberty is facing right with long...

 The Flowing Hair Half Dollar was the first half dollar minted by the United States of America in 1794 and again in 1795, at their first mint which was in Philadelphia.  A Mint has been in operation in Philadelphia ever since.  These silver coins are 32.5 millimeters in diameter, weigh 13.5 grams with 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper.  The edge was lettered, bearing “FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR” with decorations between each word. Robert Scot designed the Flowing Hair Half Dollar.  The obverse has a Liberty head with flowing hair facing right.  The date is under head by the rim and “LIBERTY” is above encircling along the rim.  There are a total of fifteen stars, one for every state, eight on the left side encircling the rim and seven on the right.  There is a variety for 1795, a recut date with 3 leaves. The reverse has a ‘small eagle’ standing on a rock with wings spread in the center of the silver half dollar.  A laurel wreath encircles the...