Bill Jones' Early Half Dimes
1796 6/5

Owner Comments:

If you have read only the classic literature on the early half dimes, you would be led to believe that this coin is a major rarity. Back in 1958 Walter Breen wrote in his "U.S. Half Dime Supplement" that there were "possibly six examples known, at five are in EF to Unc." Since that was written collectors have examined their holdings and have discovered additional examples, most of them well worn like this one. Today this variety is rated as an R-6 (est. 13 to 30 known).



The overdate is not strong on this variety and attributing the coin from the "normal date" is made more difficult by the fact that the "6" on the "normal" coin was double punched into the die. A better diagnostic appears on the reverse. On the “normal date” coin there is a berry on the wreath that is at the bottom of “D” in “UNITED.” On the overdate variety, the berry is at the bottom of the “E.”



This is the lowest grade early half dime in my set, and one of the lowest graded coins in my collection. Through the years I’ve been very lucky to acquire many nice coins on a middle class budget through study and perseverance. Unfortunately the numismatic gods have not smiled on me when it came to 1796 half dimes. I’ve always seemed to have the knack of pulling the trigger on the wrong coin just before the right coin came along and did not have the money.