Diagnostic Controls & Presets First Official US Mint Regular Half Dime Issue
Diagnostic Forensic Readings
Forensic Attribution Diagnostic
Real-time metallurgical and die variety cross-examination verified against certified populations.
Technical Breakdown: Physics, Metallurgy & Die Diagnostics
Fineness: 1485/1664 Silver (89.24% Ag, 10.76% Cu)
Authorized as America's smallest silver coin (one-twentieth of a silver dollar). While dated 1794, the first delivery of 7,756 pieces was completed on March 30, 1795 at the Philadelphia Mint.
Star Diagnostics: 8 stars to left, 7 stars to right (15 States)
Attributed according to Russell J. Logan and John W. McCloskey's landmark reference. LM-1 is instantly recognizable by a progressive die fracture running from the upper right rim through the small eagle's head.
Mint State Survivors: Fewer than 35 known specimens
Because half dimes were heavily used in everyday trade to purchase tavern meals, produce, and postage, virtually all surviving examples are well-circulated, making Gem Mint State coins elite national treasures.
Documented Benchmark Auction Records
Ex-D. Brent Pogue & Garrett Collection. Pristine reflective fields with radiant golden-russet toning; finest known 1794 half dime on earth.
Ex-Newman Collection. Choice uncirculated slider featuring the dramatic LM-1 die crack through the eagle's neck and sharp hair strands.
Exceptional mid-grade specimen with smooth unblemished planchet, complete 1794 date, and bold reverse wreath bow knot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dime historically significant?
The 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dime was the first official half dime struck inside the United States Mint building in Philadelphia. (The 1792 half disme was struck in a private cellar). Struck under the direction of the first Mint Director David Rittenhouse, it represented the inaugural production of small fractional silver coinage for the infant American republic.
Were all 1794-dated half dimes actually struck in 1794?
No. The Philadelphia Mint prepared dies dated 1794, but striking was delayed until March 1795 due to technical challenges with rolling silver planchets to such a thin dimension. The first delivery of 7,756 half dimes occurred on March 30, 1795.
What does the obverse and reverse design depict?
The obverse features Chief Engraver Robert Scot's portrait of Miss Liberty with wild flowing hair facing right, surrounded by 15 stars (representing the 15 states in the Union at the time). The reverse depicts an elegant small eagle perched on a cloud inside an open laurel wreath, surrounded by 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'.
What is the Logan-McCloskey (LM) attribution system?
Numismatists use the reference catalog by Russell J. Logan and John W. McCloskey to identify the four distinct die marriages (LM-1, LM-2, LM-3, and LM-4). They are identified by examining the alignment of the date digits, the position of the first star relative to Liberty's lowest hair curl, and reverse die cracks.
What is the diagnostic die crack on the LM-1 variety?
On the LM-1 die variety, a pronounced die crack develops from the upper right rim above 'STATES', passes through the eagle's head and neck, and extends across the breast into the left wreath, proving that early Philadelphia mint dies were brittle and subject to rapid structural failure.
What is the exact weight and silver purity of the 1794 Half Dime?
The coin weighs 1.35 grams (20.8 grains), measures 16.5 millimeters in diameter, and has a reeded edge. It is composed of 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper (the original US silver coinage alloy specified by the 1792 Coinage Act before it was modified to 90% in 1837).
How can you distinguish an authentic 1794 half dime from a cast counterfeit?
Genuine coins weigh precisely 1.35 grams (±0.08 g), exhibit sharp hand-cut dentils along the rim, and display fine microscopic radial die polish lines. Cast replicas made of pewter or lead have porous, granular fields, indistinct hair curls, and weigh light (usually 1.05 to 1.15 grams).