Bill Jones' Type Set Excluding Modern Issues
H10c SEATED LIBERTY, LEGEND OBVERSE (1860-73)

Owner Comments:

In 1860 the mint moved the legend "United States of America" from the revere to the obverse of the half dime and dime. The wreath on the reverse was beefed up to include an array of American agricultural products including wheat, corn and tobacco.

Although few realized it at the time the beginning death knell for the half dime was struck in 1866. That year Congress authorized the nickel five cent piece as a way to get more coins into circulation in the wake of the Civil War. The new nickel coins were much larger and thicker than the half dime, and people found their easier to use and less likely lost. From 1866 until 1873 the mint issued both the silver half dime and the nickel. The Coinage Act of 1873 brought many changes to United States’ coinage and among them were provisions that did away with the half dime.

This Proof half dime is totally original and has never been dipped. It does have some die polishing marks, all raised, which is common for this issue. I shot the pictures for this coin at an odd angle to show off some of the Proof luster that shows under the toning.