Draped Bust Half Cents

Half cents were first produced in 1793 but were not popular with the public. It is perhaps for this reason that it wasn’t until 1800 that Engraver Robert Scot adapted the Draped Bust design of Gilbert Stuart to half cents.

Production of half cents reflected both the economy of United States Mint operations at the time, with both dies and damaged cent planchets reused when possible, and the low demand for the denomination.

Many uncirculated survivors come from hoards discovered in the early-to-mid-1900s. Several hundred business strike Draped Bust Half Cents are reported in census/population listings (no Proofs are known), though some varieties are represented by fewer than 100 pieces, and some by fewer than 10 examples.

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