Half dollar
{{Short description|Half-unit of currencies named "dollar"}}
{{Distinguish|text=half a crown also sometimes referred to as half a 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 were intended for circulation, those that add up to units of dollars, and those in the form of a coin.
- Note: The blue linked years included in the tables link to articles about the coins.
Currently minted
File:US Half Dollar Obverse 2015.png]]
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%" | ||||||
| colspan=10| Circulating half dollars by country | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2| Country(s) / City | rowspan=2| Unit of currency | colspan=4| Technical parameters | colspan=3| Description | rowspan=2| Date of first minting{{efn|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.}} | ||
| Diameter | Thickness | Weight | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse |
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Australia}} Australia and its territories | style="text-align:center;"| AUD | style="text-align:center;"| 31.65 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 2.5 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 15.55 g | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| Plain | style="text-align:center;"|1985 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Bahamas}} Bahamas | style="text-align:center;"| BSD | style="text-align:center;"| 29 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 10.51 g | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | A Marlin leaping out of water. | style="text-align:center;"|1974 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Belize}} Belize | style="text-align:center;"|BZD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Ornamental - Country/Value/Date | style="text-align:center;"|1974 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Brunei}} Brunei | style="text-align:center;"|BND | style="text-align:center;"| 27.70 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 7.29 g | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| Reeded | style="text-align:center;"|1993 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Canada}} Canada{{efn|name=collectors|Half dollars from this country no longer circulate as they are minted in small amounts for collectors who purchase them at a premium}} | style="text-align:center;"| CAD | style="text-align:center;"| 27.13 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 1.95 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 6.9 g | 93.15% steel, 4.75% copper, 2.1% nickel plating | style="text-align:center;"| Milled | style="text-align:center;"|2000 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Fiji}} Fiji | style="text-align:center;"| FJD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | A Humphead wrasse | A takia | style="text-align:center;"|2012{{cite web|url=http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=219875|title=New Currency Designs|publisher=Fiji Times|date=2012-12-13 |access-date=2013-07-09}} | ||||||
| {{Coin-gold-color}}
| {{flagicon|Hong Kong}} Hong Kong | style="text-align:center;"| HKD | style="text-align:center;"| 22.5 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 1.72 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 4.92 g | Brass-plated steel | style="text-align:center;"| Milled | Bauhinia | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1993 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Liberia}} Liberia | style="text-align:center;"| LRD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 9.0 g | Nickel Clad Steel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Coat of Arms & Motto | style="text-align:center;"| 2000 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|New Zealand}} New Zealand and others. | style="text-align:center;"| NZD | style="text-align:center;"| 24.75 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 1.70 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 5.0g | Nickel-plated steel | style="text-align:center;"| Plain | style="text-align:center;"| 1999 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Singapore}} Singapore | style="text-align:center;"| SGD | style="text-align:center;"| 23 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 2.45 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 6.56 g | Nickel-plated steel | style="text-align:center;"| Scalloped | style="text-align:center;"| 2013 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Solomon Islands}} Solomon Islands | style="text-align:center;"| SBD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 2012{{cite web|url=http://www.mas.gov.sg/NewCoins/Coin-Details/Fifty-Cent|title=New coins of the Solomon Islands|website=mas.gov.sg|access-date=January 30, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224111401/http://www.mas.gov.sg/NewCoins/Coin-Details/Fifty-Cent|archive-date=February 24, 2015}} | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Trinidad and Tobago}} Trinidad and Tobago | style="text-align:center;"| TTD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1976 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|USA}} United States and others | style="text-align:center;"|USD | style="text-align:center;"| 30.61 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 2.15 mm | style="text-align:center;"| 11.34 g | Cupronickel: 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| Reeded | style="text-align:center;"| 1971{{cite web|url=http://www.virmu.com/Top-10-US-Coins/index.php/Kennedy-Half-Dollar|title=Kennedy Half Dollar|work=www.virmu.com|access-date=January 31, 2015}} |
Formerly minted
File:Canada Newfoundland Edward VII 50 Cents 1908.jpg 50-cent piece from 1908 depicting King Edward VII]]
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%" | ||||||
| colspan=11| Former half dollars by country | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2| Country(s) / City | rowspan=2| Unit of currency | colspan=4| Technical parameters | colspan=3| Description | rowspan=2| Introduced | rowspan=2| Withdrawn | |
| Diameter | Thickness | Weight | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse |
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Bermuda}} Bermuda | style="text-align:center;"| BMD | style="text-align:center;"| 30.5 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 12.60 g | style="text-align:center;"| Milled | Queen Elizabeth II | style="text-align:center;"| 1970 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|CSA|1861c}} Confederate States of America | style="text-align:center;"| CSD | style="text-align:center;"| 30.6 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 12.44 g | 90% silver 10% copper | style="text-align:center;"| Reeded | Peterson CSA seal | style="text-align:center;"| 1861 | style="text-align:center;"| 1865 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Cook Islands}} Cook Islands | style="text-align:center;"| CID | style="text-align:center;"| 32 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1972 | style="text-align:center;"| 2016{{Cite web|url=http://www.cookislands.gov.ck/news-mfem/121-finacial-secretary-office-news/622-dcd-testing|title=Public Notice: Old Cook Islands Coins No Longer Legal Tender as of 1 May 2016 - Cook Islands - Ministry of Finance and Economic Management|website=cookislands.gov.ck}} | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Crown Colony of North Borneo}} Crown Colony of North Borneo | style="text-align:center;"| MBBD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1953 | style="text-align:center;"| 1969 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| 24px Crown Colony of Sarawak | style="text-align:center;"| MBBD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1953 | style="text-align:center;"| 1967 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Newfoundland}} Dominion of Newfoundland | style="text-align:center;"| NFD | style="text-align:center;"| 29.85 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 11.78 g | 92.5% silver 7.5% copper | style="text-align:center;"| Reeded | Reigning British Monarch | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1870 | style="text-align:center;"| 1949 | ||||||
| {{coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Malaya}} Federation of Malaya | style="text-align:center;"| MBBD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1953 | style="text-align:center;"| 1969 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Kingdom of Hawaii}} Hawaiian Kingdom{{efn|These half dollars were also accepted as legal tender by the successive Provisional Government of Hawaii, and Republic of Hawaii governments.}} | style="text-align:center;"| HD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 90% silver 10% copper | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | King Kalākaua | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1883 | style="text-align:center;"| 1900{{efn|These coins were used until Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900}} | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Jamaica}} Jamaica | style="text-align:center;"| JMD | style="text-align:center;"| 31.37 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 12.43 g | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 1976 | style="text-align:center;"| 1990 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Kiribati}} Kiribati | style="text-align:center;"| KID | style="text-align:center;"| 31.65 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 1979 | style="text-align:center;"| In circulation | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Sarawak}} Sarawak | style="text-align:center;"| SD | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 80% silver 20% copper {{small|(1858-1919)}} | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 1858 | style="text-align:center;"| 1953 | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Taiwan}} Taiwan{{efn|While 50-cent pieces have been discontinued in Taiwan, they are still legal tender.}} | style="text-align:center;"| TWD | style="text-align:center;"| 18 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 3.0 g | 97% copper 2.5% zinc 0.5% tin | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Value | style="text-align:center;"| 1981{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.gov.tw/issue/money/tb1.htm |title=中央銀行發行之貨幣及偵偽鈔辨識}} | {{unknown}} | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|Tuvalu}} Tuvalu | style="text-align:center;"| TVD | style="text-align:center;"| 32 mm | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | 75% copper 25% nickel | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | Octopus | style="text-align:center;"| 1976 | style="text-align:center;"| In circulation | ||||||
| {{Coin-silver-color}}
| {{flagicon|West Indies Federation}} West Indies Federation | style="text-align:center;"| BWI | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | style="text-align:center;"| N/A | Queen Elizabeth II | N/A | style="text-align:center;"| 1955 | style="text-align:center;"| 1981 |
Notes
{{Portal|Money|Numismatics}}
{{notelist}}