Half dollar

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The term "half dollar" refers to a half-unit of several currencies that are named "dollar". One dollar ($1) is normally divided into subsidiary currency of 100 cents, so a half dollar is equal to 50 cents. These half dollars (aka 50 cent pieces) are denominated as either Coins or as banknotes. Although more than a dozen countries have their own unique dollar currency, not all of them use a 50 cent piece or half dollar. This article only includes half dollars and 50 cent pieces that add up to dollars and are in the form of a coin.

Currently minted[]

The obverse side of a United States half dollar
Circulating Half Dollars by country
Country(s) / City Unit of
currency		 Technical parameters Description Date of
first minting[a]
Diameter Thickness Weight Composition Edge Obverse Reverse
Australia Australia and its territories AUD 31.65 mm 2.5 mm 15.55 g Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel Plain Queen Elizabeth II Coat of Arms 1985
The Bahamas Bahamas BSD 29 mm N/A 10.51 g Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Coat of Arms A Marlin leaping out of water. 1974
Belize Belize BZD N/A N/A N/A Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Ornamental - Country/Value/Date 1974
Brunei Brunei BND 27.70 mm N/A 7.29 g Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel Reeded Hassanal Bolkiah Coat of Arms 1993
Canada Canada[b] CAD 27.13 mm 1.95 mm 6.9 g 93.15% steel, 4.75% copper, 2.1% nickel plating Milled Queen Elizabeth II Coat of Arms 2000
Fiji Fiji FJD N/A N/A N/A Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel N/A A Humphead wrasse A takia 2012[1]
Hong Kong Hong Kong HKD 22.5 mm 1.72 mm 4.92 g Brass-plated steel Milled Bauhinia Value 1993
Liberia Liberia LRD N/A N/A 9.0 g Nickel Clad Steel N/A William R. Tolbert Jr. Coat of Arms & Motto 2000
New Zealand New Zealand and others. NZD 24.75 mm 1.70 mm 5.0g Nickel-plated steel Plain Queen Elizabeth II HMS Endeavour 1999
Singapore Singapore SGD 23 mm 2.45 mm 6.56 g Nickel-plated steel Scalloped Coat of Arms Port of Singapore 2013
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands SBD N/A N/A N/A Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Coat of Arms 2012[2]
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago TTD N/A N/A N/A Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Coat of Arms Value 1976
United States United States and others USD 30.61 mm 2.15 mm 11.34 g Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel Reeded John F. Kennedy USA Presidential Seal 1971[3]

Formerly minted[]

Newfoundland 50-cent piece from 1908 depicting King Edward VII
Former Half Dollars by country
Country(s) / City Unit of
currency		 Technical parameters Description Introduced Withdrawn
Diameter Thickness Weight Composition Edge Obverse Reverse
Bermuda Bermuda BMD 30.5 mm N/A 12.60 g 75% copper 25% nickel Milled Queen Elizabeth II Coat of arms 1970 1990[4]
Confederate States of America Confederate States of America CSD 30.6 mm N/A 12.44 g 90% silver 10% copper Reeded Seated Liberty Peterson CSA seal 1861 1865
Cook Islands Cook Islands CID 32 mm N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Value 1972 2016[5]
North Borneo Crown Colony of North Borneo MBBD N/A N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Value 1953 1969
Flag of Sarawak (1946–1963).svg Crown Colony of Sarawak MBBD N/A N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Value 1953 1967
Dominion of Newfoundland Dominion of Newfoundland NFD 29.85 mm N/A 11.78 g 92.5% silver 7.5% copper Reeded Reigning British Monarch Value 1870 1949
Federation of Malaya Federation of Malaya MBBD N/A N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Value 1953 1969
Hawaiian Kingdom Hawaiian Kingdom[c] HD N/A N/A N/A 90% silver 10% copper N/A King Kalākaua Value 1883 1900[d]
Jamaica Jamaica JMD 31.37 mm N/A 12.43 g 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Coat of arms Marcus Garvey 1976 1990
Kiribati Kiribati KID 31.65 mm N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Coat of arms Pandanus tree 1979 In circulation
Sarawak Sarawak SD N/A N/A N/A 80% silver 20% copper (1858-1919)
40% silver 60% copper (1920-1953) 		N/A White Rajahs N/A 1858 1953
Taiwan Taiwan[e] TWD 18 mm N/A 3.0 g 97% copper 2.5% zinc 0.5% tin N/A Mei Blossom Value 1981[6] Un­known
Tuvalu Tuvalu TVD 32 mm N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II Octopus 1976 In circulation
West Indies Federation West Indies Federation BWI N/A N/A N/A 75% copper 25% nickel N/A Queen Elizabeth II N/A 1955 1981

Notes[]

  1. ^ Some countries have had many varieties and forms of half dollars/50 cent pieces. The dates used in this table reflect when the current form (design/metal base) was first issued.
  2. ^ Half dollars from this country no longer circulate as they are minted in small amounts for collectors who purchase them at a premium
  3. ^ These half dollars were also accepted as legal tender by the successive Provisional Government of Hawaii, and Republic of Hawaii governments.
  4. ^ These coins were used until Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900
  5. ^ While 50-cent pieces have been discontinued in Taiwan, they are still legal tender.

References[]

  1. ^ "New Currency Designs". Fiji Times. 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2013-07-09.
  2. ^ "New coins of the Solomon Islands". mas.gov.sg. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "Kennedy Half Dollar". www.virmu.com. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  4. ^ "Calling in of the One Dollar Note and the Fifty Cent Circulation Coin" (PDF). Laws of Bermuda. Government of Bermuda. 30 March 1990. GN 200/1990. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Public Notice: Old Cook Islands Coins No Longer Legal Tender as of 1 May 2016 - Cook Islands - Ministry of Finance and Economic Management". cookislands.gov.ck.
  6. ^ "中央銀行發行之貨幣及偵偽鈔辨識".


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