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.

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
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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