Half dollar
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[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/US_Half_Dollar_Obverse_2015.png/180px-US_Half_Dollar_Obverse_2015.png)
The obverse side of a United States half dollar
Circulating Half Dollars by country | |||||||||
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Country(s) / City | Unit of currency |
Technical parameters | Description | Date of first minting[a] | |||||
Diameter | Thickness | Weight | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | |||
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AUD | 31.65 mm | 2.5 mm | 15.55 g | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | Plain | Queen Elizabeth II | Coat of Arms | 1985 |
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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 |
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BZD | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Ornamental - Country/Value/Date | 1974 |
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BND | 27.70 mm | N/A | 7.29 g | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | Reeded | Hassanal Bolkiah | Coat of Arms | 1993 |
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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 |
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FJD | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | A Humphead wrasse | A takia | 2012[1] |
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HKD | 22.5 mm | 1.72 mm | 4.92 g | Brass-plated steel | Milled | Bauhinia | Value | 1993 |
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LRD | N/A | N/A | 9.0 g | Nickel Clad Steel | N/A | William R. Tolbert Jr. | Coat of Arms & Motto | 2000 |
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NZD | 24.75 mm | 1.70 mm | 5.0g | Nickel-plated steel | Plain | Queen Elizabeth II | HMS Endeavour | 1999 |
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SGD | 23 mm | 2.45 mm | 6.56 g | Nickel-plated steel | Scalloped | Coat of Arms | Port of Singapore | 2013 |
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SBD | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Coat of Arms | 2012[2] |
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TTD | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Coat of Arms | Value | 1976 |
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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[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Canada_Newfoundland_Edward_VII_50_Cents_1908.jpg/220px-Canada_Newfoundland_Edward_VII_50_Cents_1908.jpg)
Former Half Dollars by country | ||||||||||
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Country(s) / City | Unit of currency |
Technical parameters | Description | Introduced | Withdrawn | |||||
Diameter | Thickness | Weight | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | ||||
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BMD | 30.5 mm | N/A | 12.60 g | 75% copper 25% nickel | Milled | Queen Elizabeth II | Coat of arms | 1970 | 1990[4] |
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CSD | 30.6 mm | N/A | 12.44 g | 90% silver 10% copper | Reeded | Seated Liberty | Peterson CSA seal | 1861 | 1865 |
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CID | 32 mm | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | 1972 | 2016[5] |
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MBBD | N/A | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | 1953 | 1969 |
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MBBD | N/A | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | 1953 | 1967 |
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NFD | 29.85 mm | N/A | 11.78 g | 92.5% silver 7.5% copper | Reeded | Reigning British Monarch | Value | 1870 | 1949 |
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MBBD | N/A | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | 1953 | 1969 |
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HD | N/A | N/A | N/A | 90% silver 10% copper | N/A | King Kalākaua | Value | 1883 | 1900[d] |
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JMD | 31.37 mm | N/A | 12.43 g | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Coat of arms | Marcus Garvey | 1976 | 1990 |
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KID | 31.65 mm | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Coat of arms | Pandanus tree | 1979 | In circulation |
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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 |
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TWD | 18 mm | N/A | 3.0 g | 97% copper 2.5% zinc 0.5% tin | N/A | Mei Blossom | Value | 1981[6] | Unknown |
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TVD | 32 mm | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Octopus | 1976 | In circulation |
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BWI | N/A | N/A | N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | N/A | 1955 | 1981 |
Notes[]
- ^ 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.
- ^ Half dollars from this country no longer circulate as they are minted in small amounts for collectors who purchase them at a premium
- ^ These half dollars were also accepted as legal tender by the successive Provisional Government of Hawaii, and Republic of Hawaii governments.
- ^ These coins were used until Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900
- ^ While 50-cent pieces have been discontinued in Taiwan, they are still legal tender.
References[]
- ^ "New Currency Designs". Fiji Times. 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2013-07-09.
- ^ "New coins of the Solomon Islands". mas.gov.sg. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- ^ "Kennedy Half Dollar". www.virmu.com. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "中央銀行發行之貨幣及偵偽鈔辨識".
Categories:
- Dollar
- Fifty-cent coins
- Currency stubs