How to Identify the Seated Liberty Half Dime
A visual guide to the Seated Liberty Half Dime (1837-1873), covering its seated Liberty obverse, wreath reverse spelling out 'HALF DIME,' arrows-at-date varieties, and mint marks.
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What It Is
The Seated Liberty Half Dime was struck from 1837 to 1873, when the half dime denomination was retired in favor of the copper-nickel five-cent piece that continues today. It shares its obverse design family with the Seated Liberty Dime and other silver denominations of the period, though scaled down to a smaller size.
Obverse (Front) Design
Liberty sits on a rock, holding a shield inscribed "LIBERTY" in one hand and a liberty pole topped with a cap in the other. The border treatment changed over time: no stars appear on the earliest issues (1837-1838), stars surround Liberty from 1838 through 1859, and from 1860 through 1873 the stars were replaced by the legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" around the border, matching the change made on the Seated Liberty Dime the same year.
Reverse (Back) Design
A wreath surrounds the words "HALF DIME," spelled out in full rather than abbreviated, which is the key visual difference from the "5 C." wording used on the earlier Capped Bust Half Dime.
Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge
The coin measures about 15.5 mm in diameter. Weight was originally about 1.34 grams, reduced slightly to around 1.24 grams starting in 1853 (marked with small arrows beside the date for 1853-1855), struck in .900 fine silver, a change from the earlier .8924 fineness. The edge is reeded.
Mint Marks
When present, the mint mark sits on the reverse, within or just below the wreath. Letters used include O for New Orleans and S for San Francisco; Philadelphia coins show no mark.
Telling It Apart from Similar Coins
The most reliable way to distinguish this coin from the Seated Liberty Dime is the reverse wording: "HALF DIME" spelled out in full versus "ONE DIME," along with the half dime's smaller diameter. Within the half dime series itself, the arrows-at-date variety (1853-1855) is identified by small arrowheads flanking the date, marking the weight adjustment rather than a different design.
Judging Condition at a Glance
Check Liberty's head and the knee closest to the viewer for early wear, along with the horizontal lines on the shield. On the reverse, look at the wreath's ribbon bow and the leaves nearest the top; sharp, well-separated leaf detail indicates lighter circulation wear.
Authenticity Notes
Because the arrows and legend/no-legend varieties can affect a coin's value, be cautious of any example where the date area shows tool marks, mismatched luster, or other signs that arrows may have been added or removed. As with other 19th-century silver coins, cleaned or artificially toned surfaces are a more common issue than outright counterfeiting; unnaturally bright or oddly colored surfaces are worth a closer look.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a Seated Liberty Half Dime from a Seated Liberty Dime?
The half dime is smaller in diameter and its reverse spells out 'HALF DIME' in full, while the dime is larger and reads 'ONE DIME.'
What do the arrows next to the date mean on some half dimes?
Arrows beside the date in 1853-1855 indicate a small reduction in the coin's silver weight, not a change in denomination or design.
Why did the half dime stop being made in 1873?
The denomination was discontinued that year as the copper-nickel five-cent piece, which had been introduced in 1866, took over as the standard five-cent coin.
Where is the mint mark located?
It appears on the reverse, within or just beneath the wreath, and is absent on coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint.