when were the last silver half dollars made
2002
2325089
has undergone a number of changes throughout its history. Though not commonly used today, half dollar coins have a long history of heavy use alongside other denominations of coinage, but have faded out of general circulation for many reasons. They were produced in fairly large quantities until the year 2002, when the U.S. Mint ceased production of the coin for general circulation. As a result of its decreasing usage, a large amount of pre-2002 half dollars remain in Federal Reserve vaults, prompting the change in production. Presently, collector half dollars can be ordered directly from the U.S. Mint, and pre-2002
Half dollar (United States coin)
5540374
in 1975 and 1976. In addition to business strikes, special collector coins were struck for the Bicentennial in silver clad; silver proof sets in which the dime, quarter and half dollar were struck in 90% silver were first minted in 1992. In 2014 a special edition of the Kennedy half dollar was also struck in 99.99% gold. Even though ample supplies of circulating half dollars are readily available from most banks, their circulation is still limited. Since 2002, Kennedy half dollars have only been struck to satisfy the demand from collectors, and are available at a premium through the Mint.
Kennedy half dollar
15384555
United States Bicentennial bore the dates "1776-1976". All 1970 and 1987 coins were issued only in special collector's sets (none released for general circulation). Due to declining demand for half dollars, 2001 was the last year the mint issued half dollars for general circulation (business strikes). Beginning with 2002, the coins were minted in smaller numbers and sold only to collectors at premiums above the face value. For the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Half Dollar, the mint issued a 3/4 ounce .9999 gold version bearing the special date of "1964-2014". Kennedy half dollar mintage figures The Kennedy half dollar
Kennedy half dollar mintage figures
15944426
half dollar in 1948. The original Washington quarter design remained unchanged, aside from the removal of silver content and finer details, up to 1998, the Jefferson nickel up to 2003, and the Roosevelt dime to the present day. The Franklin half was replaced by the John F. Kennedy half dollar in 1964 to commemorate him after his murder. The composition of the Kennedy half dollar was changed from 90% silver to 40% silver in 1965 and remained that way through 1970. After 1970, Kennedy half dollars were made of the same copper-nickel alloy as the other denominations. The last 90%
Numismatic history of the United States
12287540
defined the dollar as of gold, equivalent to setting the price of 1 troy ounce of gold at $20.67. Silver coins continued to be issued for circulation until 1964, when all silver was removed from dimes and quarters, and the half dollar was reduced to 40% silver. Silver half dollars were last issued for circulation in 1970. Gold coins were confiscated by Executive Order 6102 issued in 1933 by Franklin Roosevelt. The gold standard was changed to , equivalent to setting the price of 1 troy ounce of gold at $35. This standard persisted until 1968. Between 1968 and 1975,
United States dollar
16948171
dime and the standard silver dollar (the last denomination was reinstated in 1878). The three-cent piece was made legal tender to twenty-five cents, as were the other two base-metal coins, the cent and nickel (the surviving silver coins were legal tender to five dollars). Numismatic writer Breen deemed the decision to eliminate the silver three-cent piece and the half dime, which might directly compete with the two copper-nickel coins, a favor to Wharton. Carothers called the abolition of the silver three- and five-cent pieces "a necessity if the 3 cent and 5 cent nickel pieces were to be continued after
Three-cent nickel
8704866
in large numbers and widely circulated. According to Bowers in his book on the denomination, "the years 1850 to 1853 were the high-water mark of the gold dollar, the glory years of the denomination when the little gold coins took the place of half dollars and silver dollars in everyday transactions." This time came to an end in 1853 when Congress passed an act reducing the weight of most silver coins, allowing new issues of them to circulate. As early as 1851, New York Congressman William Duer alleged that Patterson had made the gold dollar too small in diameter on
Gold dollar
2325095
some pieces dated 1805 that carried a "5 over 4" overdate. In 1838, half dollar dies were produced in the Philadelphia Mint for the newly established New Orleans Mint, and ten test samples of the 1838 half dollars were made at the main Philadelphia mint. These samples were put into the mint safe along with other rarities like the 1804 silver dollar. The dies were then shipped to New Orleans for the regular production of 1838 half dollars. However, New Orleans production of the half dollars was delayed due to the priority of producing half dimes and dimes. The large
Half dollar (United States coin)
7628199
In other words, a full troy ounce of 99.9-percent silver is contained in any combination of 90-percent silver U.S. coins which have a face value of US$1.40. The most commonly collected junk-silver U.S. coins were minted before 1965 and include Morgan and Peace dollars; Liberty Head "Barber," Walking Liberty, Franklin and Kennedy half dollars; Liberty Head "Barber," Standing Liberty and Washington quarters; Liberty Head "Barber," Winged Liberty Head "Mercury" and Roosevelt dimes; and Jefferson "Wartime" nickels. Dollars Half-Dollars Quarters Dimes Nickels The most commonly collected junk-silver U.K. coins were minted before 1946 and include Edward VII, George V and George
Junk silver
92990
and collectors.) In the past, the US also coined the following denominations for circulation in gold: One dollar, $2.50, three dollars, five dollars, ten dollars, and twenty dollars. In addition, cents were originally slightly larger than the modern quarter and weighed nearly half an ounce, while five-cent coins (known then as "half dimes") were smaller than a dime and made of a silver alloy. Dollar coins were also much larger, and weighed approximately an ounce. One-dollar gold coins are no longer produced and rarely used. The US also issues bullion and commemorative coins with the following denominations: 50¢, $1, $5,
Coin
5513522
of small denominations. Although silver bullion deposits at the Mint had increased, Boudinot attempted to end silver dollar production in 1803, favoring half dollars instead. Mintage of the 1803 dollar continued until March 1804, when production of silver dollars ceased entirely. In total, 85,634 dollars dated 1803 were struck. Following a formal request from the Bank of the United States, Secretary of State James Madison officially suspended silver dollar and gold eagle production in 1806, although minting of both had ended two years earlier. In 1831, Mint Director Samuel Moore filed a request through the Treasury asking president Andrew Jackson
Draped Bust dollar
7816290
speculators), provided for the redemption of unmutilated trade dollars. The act, which did not count the redeemed silver towards the Bland–Allison Act quota, passed into law on February 14, 1887, when the ten-day period which President Grover Cleveland had to either sign or veto it expired with no action by the President. Many coins were not redeemable due to chop marks or holes applied by Chinese businessmen, which was done to affirm the coin's silver content. The dollars were only redeemable for six months, and the recovered silver was struck into dimes, quarters, and half dollars. Numismatic historian Walter Breen
Trade dollar (United States coin)
4570119
silver and gold as the legal tender of the United States, as gold was to be coined into eagles ($10), half-eagles ($5) and quarter-eagles ($2.50). Silver was to be coined into dollars ($1), half-dollars ($0.50), quarter-dollars ($0.25), dimes ($0.10) and half-dimes ($0.05). While the Coinage Act provided with coinage of copper as cent ($0.01) and half-cent ($0.005), copper was not accepted as legal tender. In 1848, gold was discovered in Sutter's Mill, and the news of this discovery spread throughout the country. This would start a gold rush to the California territory. While merchants made more money than most miners
Coin's Financial School
5540390
understand the population. They're not using them." According to Brooks, most of the over one billion Kennedy half dollars containing silver had been hoarded by the public. Brooks theorized that because the silver Kennedy half dollar never circulated much and few half dollars were struck in 1970 in anticipation of the authorization to eliminate silver, the public had become accustomed to not seeing the half dollar in trade. Brooks suggested, "If the country knew there were plenty of them around, they'd probably start hoarding them, too." By the mid 1970s, usage of the half dollar did increase, but the major
Kennedy half dollar
15944424
Dollar was minted from 1921 to 1935. After 1935, no more silver dollars would be minted for circulation by the US Mint. 90% silver dimes, quarters and half dollars were replaced with copper-nickel coins after 1964. From 1965 to 1976, 40% silver coins were issued in certain denominations. Of these, only the 1965 to 1969 dated Kennedy Half Dollars were minted for general circulation. No precious metals were present in any coins issued after 1977 by the US Mint until the bullion and commemorative series that began in the 1980s and continue to the present day. As there were no
Numismatic history of the United States
10037624
clad composition, with the half dollar to be made of 40 percent silver. So long as there was a shortage of coins, the Mint could strike dimes, quarters, and half dollars from .900 silver, but this authority was to end once the secretary certified there was an adequate supply of the new coins in circulation, and in any event five years after the law was enacted (thus, ending July 23, 1970). During that five-year period, no standard silver dollars could be minted. Section 102 made all coins and currency of the United States legal tender without limit, reiterating language found
Coinage Act of 1965
465538
throughout Southeast Asia, the China coast, and Japan. These coins had been introduced through Manila over a period of two hundred and fifty years, arriving on ships from Acapulco in Mexico. These ships were known as the Manila galleons. Until the 19th century, these silver dollar coins were actual Spanish dollars minted in the new world, mostly at Mexico City. But from the 1840s, they were increasingly replaced by silver dollars of the new Latin American republics. In the later half of the 19th century, some local coins in the region were made in the resemblance of the Mexican peso.
Japanese yen
5179058
7. Until it was taken over by the Confederacy in 1861 it produced many different denominations, all of which were either silver or gold: silver three-cent pieces (1851 only), half dimes, dimes, quarters, half dollars, silver dollars, gold dollars, $2.50 quarter eagles, three-dollar pieces, $5 half-eagles, $10 eagles, and $20 double eagles. Many interesting characters served at the Mint during the early years of operation. One was John Leonard Riddell, who served as melter and refiner at the Mint from 1839 to 1848, and, outside of his job, pursued interests in botany, medicine, chemistry, geology, and physics. He invented the
New Orleans Mint
6940975
of Europe eventually began to issue large size silver coins. Europeans then used these silver coins to purchase goods abroad which eventually led to inflation. The great amounts of new silver supply caused the relative value of silver against gold to drop. US dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars were minted in 90% silver until 1964. Produced to save nickel for the war effort, war nickels 1942-1945 are 35% silver (silver nickel production started part way into 1942). Half-dollar coins minted between 1965 and 1970 are 40% silver, but from 1971 on, contain no silver. After silver was removed from
Silver coin
7098548
coins include the one ounce 99.99% pure Canadian Silver Maple Leaf and the one ounce 99.93% pure American Silver Eagle. Coins may be minted as either "fine silver" or junk silver, the latter being older coins made of 90% silver. U.S. coins 1964 and older (half dollars, dimes, and quarters) are generally accepted to weigh 24.71 grams of silver per dollar of face value, which at their nominal silver content of 90%, translates to 22.239 g of silver per dollar. All U.S. dimes, quarters, halves and 1 dollar pieces contained 90% silver since their introduction up until 1964 when they
Silver as an investment
5540385
June 3, 1965, President Johnson announced plans to eliminate silver from the dime and quarter in favor of a clad sandwich with layers of copper-nickel on each side of a layer of pure copper. The half dollar was changed from 90% silver to 40%. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1965 in July. The new half dollars retained their silvery appearance, due to the outer layer being 80% silver and 20% copper. The coin was also minted with an inner layer of 21% silver and 79% copper. The first clad half dollars were struck at the Denver Mint on December
Kennedy half dollar
15944421
From 1875 to 1878, Twenty cent pieces were made in the Seated Liberty design. A Three-dollar piece of gold was minted from 1854 to 1889. In 1878, the first Morgan Silver Dollars were minted; this series lasted until 1904 and was revived for several months in 1921. The year 1892 saw the designs of Charles E. Barber adorn the dime, quarter and half dollar. His Liberty Head nickel had debuted in 1883, and thus from the years 1892 to 1904, his designs were featured on every denomination from 5 cents up to one dollar. The Barber design would last on
Numismatic history of the United States
4647534
outgoing 'Bit' coin which was equal to one quarter of a guilder. When the groat coin ceased to circulate in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the nineteenth century, a special request was made in 1888 for groats to be struck for use in the British West Indies and British Guiana. These were first struck in 1891. From 1917 they were struck exclusively for use in British Guiana. Spanish, Mexican, and Colombian silver dollars continued to circulate alongside the British sterling coinage until 1876 when these dollar coins were demonetised. The Spanish dollar unit should not be confused
Guyanese dollar
2325091
By the early 1960s, the rising price of silver neared the point where the bullion value of U.S. silver coins would exceed face value. In 1965, the U.S. introduced layered composition coins made of a copper core laminated between two cupronickel outer faces. The silver content of dimes and quarters was eliminated, but the Kennedy half dollar composition contained silver (reduced from 90% to 40%) from 1965 to 1970. Even with its reduced silver content, the half dollar attracted widespread interest from speculators and collectors, and that interest led to widespread hoarding of half dollars dated 1970 and earlier. By
Half dollar (United States coin)
19969271
five sets of coining dies for each denomination, to be sent to the San Francisco Mint, with instructions that no coins were to be struck pending a final contract with Spreckels, and that the dies were to remain Hawaiian government property, to be turned over on request. The formal contract was dated October 29, signed by Spreckels as agent for Hawaii, and by San Francisco Mint Superintendent E. F. Burton. It provided for $1,000,000 in coins: $500,000 in silver dollars, $300,000 in half dollars, $125,000 in quarter dollars and $75,000 in dimes. The Hawaiian government made the change from 12
Kalākaua coinage
5540393
York Times" numismatic columnist Ed Reiter suggested that hoarding had continued even into the base-metal era, accounting for the shortage of pieces in commerce. 1979-80 saw the destruction of many 1964-69 silver Kennedy half dollars, as record high silver prices caused extensive melting of silver coins for their metal content. The coin continued to be struck through the remainder of the twentieth century, and mintage numbers remained relatively steady in both the Philadelphia and Denver mints until 1987, a year in which no half dollars were struck for circulation; the Treasury had accumulated a two-year supply of the pieces, making
Kennedy half dollar
6980549
melted down, a new smaller dollar was issued in 1907 with a reduced silver content. A parallel story occurred in the Philippines at the same time. The last cent coins were issued in 1916. Dollars were last struck for circulation in 1926, with 50 cents production ending in 1921. The remaining coins continued in production until 1935. The Board of Commissioners of Currency introduced 5 and 10 dollar notes in 1898, followed by 50 and 100 dollars in 1901 and 1 dollar in 1906. Emergency issues of 10 and 25 cents were made between 1917 and 1920. 1000 dollar notes
Straits dollar
7098549
were discontinued. The combined mintage of these coins by weight exceeds by far the mintages of all other silver investment coins. All United States 1965-1970 and one half of the 1975-1976 Bicentennial San Francisco proof and mint set Kennedy half dollars are "clad" in a silver alloy and contain 40% silver. Junk-silver coins are also available as sterling silver coins, which were officially minted until 1919 in the United Kingdom and Canada and 1945 in Australia. These coins are 92.5% silver and are in the form of (in decreasing weight) Crowns, Half-crowns, Florins, Shillings, Sixpences, and threepence. The tiny threepence
Silver as an investment
2325276
like the fact that U.S. coins were reduced in weight. The use of much more common half dollars became problematic since merchants would have to separate higher value pre-1853 coins from the newer reduced ones. From 1853 onwards, trade with Asia was typically done with Mexican coins that kept their weight and purity in the 19th Century. This ended in 1874 when the price of silver dropped so that a silver dollar has less than $1.00 worth of silver in it (huge amounts of silver coming from the Nevada Comstock Lode mines). By 1876, all silver coins were being used
Dollar coin (United States)
5540373
increased production, the denomination was seldom seen in circulation. Continued rises in the price of silver increased the hoarding—many early Kennedy half dollars have been melted for their silver content. Starting with 1965-dated pieces, the percentage of fine silver was reduced from 90% to 40% (silver clad), but even with this change the coin saw little circulation. In 1971, when silver was eliminated entirely from the coins and production increased, the series began to see improved, but still limited circulation. A special design for the reverse of the half dollar was issued for the United States Bicentennial and was struck
Kennedy half dollar
557781
to decline, resulting in the value of the silver content exceeding the face value of the coins, many of the older half dollars were melted down. Beginning in 1971, the U.S. government gave up on including any silver in the half dollars, as even the metal value of the 40% silver coins began to exceed their face value. A similar situation occurred in 2007, in the United States with the rising price of copper, zinc, and nickel, which led the U.S. government to ban the melting or mass exportation of one-cent and five-cent coins. In addition to being melted down
Gresham's law
5179046
there was one small silver coin (quarter, dime or half dime) per person. Also, production of silver dollars was suspended in 1804 because they were being exchanged for underweight Spanish coins in the West Indies. That left the half-dollar as the largest denomination of circulating coin being minted in the U. S. Foreign coins were being circulated in the U. S. to alleviate the shortage. The Philadelphia Mint had been the only U. S. mint until 1838, when operations began at the first branch mints. In 1832 President Andrew Jackson had vetoed a rechartering of the Second Bank of the
New Orleans Mint
7838489
half hour later. At 11:51 a.m., Tom Sneva took to the track. He set new all-time one- and four lap track records, becoming the first driver to break the highly anticipated 200 mph barrier at Indy. Though his last two laps dropped off, Sneva's four-lap average was fast enough to secure the pole position. Sneva was rewarded by having 200 silver dollars poured into his helmet. The symbolic gesture, performed by Phil Hedback of Bryant Heating and Cooling Company, mimicked Parnelli Jones, who broke the 150 mph barrier in 1962, and was awarded with 150 silver dollars poured into his
1977 Indianapolis 500
3440912
are becoming more popular among coin collectors. The silver dollar had never been a popular coin, circulating little except in the West; it served as a means of monetizing metal and generally sat in bank vaults once struck. The Peace dollar, the last circulating dollar made of silver, was not struck after 1935, and in most years in the quarter century after that, the bullion value of a silver dollar did not exceed 70 cents. In the early 1960s, though, silver prices rose, and the huge stocks of silver dollars in the hands of banks and the government were obtained
Eisenhower dollar
2274693
until the end of Reconstruction in 1879. During its two stints as a minting facility, it produced both gold and silver coinage in eleven different denominations, though only ten denominations were ever minted there at one time (in 1851 silver three-cent pieces, half dimes, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and gold dollars, Quarter Eagles, half eagles, eagles, and double eagles). A new branch facility was opened in Carson City, Nevada, in 1870; it operated until 1893, with a three-year hiatus from 1886 to 1888. Like the Charlotte and Dahlonega branches, the Carson City Mint (CC mint mark) was opened to take
United States Mint
7150024
quarter; other key dates are the regular 1892-O, 1892-S, 1893-S, 1897-O, 1897-S, 1913, 1914, and 1915. The last three dates have very low mintages but were preserved in substantial numbers. As half dollars were heavily circulated, prices tend to steeply rise for all coins in higher grades. "Condition rarities", relatively inexpensive in circulated condition but costly in high grades, include the 1901-S, 1904-S, and 1907-S half dollars. Thus, although most dates are obtainable, many are scarce in uncirculated grades. Note too that in 1909 a new half dollar hub was introduced. This made the headband word "Liberty" stronger, thus changing
Barber coinage
5540398
plastic. In 1973, Congress authorized silver-clad collector versions of the Bicentennial coins; in April 1975, the Mint began to strike them. The coins were issued in both proof and uncirculated quality. Copper-nickel clad Bicentennial coins were placed in both the 1975 and 1976 proof sets, while their silver clad counterparts were sold in three coin sets. Since 1992, the Mint has struck Kennedy half dollars in 90% silver for inclusion in special silver proof sets. 1964 proofs were struck in Philadelphia, and since 1968, proof coins have been struck in San Francisco only. In 1998, some silver proof pieces were
Kennedy half dollar
2325284
1884 and 1885 were produced surreptitiously, and were unknown to the collecting public until 1908. In February 1887, all non-mutilated outstanding trade dollars were made redeemable to the United States Treasury, and approximately 8 million of them were turned in. Morgan silver dollars, all composed of 90% silver and 10% copper (slightly less silver than sterling silver), were struck between 1878 and 1904, with a final minting in 1921. The 1921-dated coins are the most common, and there exists a substantial collector market for pristine, uncirculated specimens of the rarer dates and mint marks. Morgan dollars are second only to
Dollar coin (United States)
2325594
set of three 40% silver-clad coins: the quarter, half-dollar and dollar coins depicting special reverses to commemorate the U.S. Bicentennial was issued. From 1971 to 1974, proof silver-clad Eisenhower dollars were issued in a plastic case contained in a brown wood-grain finish slipcase box, and are referred to as "Brown Ikes". Proof Susan B. Anthony dollars were struck in 1999. Although these proof dollars were sold separately and not included in the proof sets for that year, some third parties used the cases from other years to create 1999 proof sets that include the dollar, prompting the U.S. Mint to
Proof coinage
5513510
than the unauthorized fineness of .900 (90%) silver that had been used since the denomination was first minted in 1794. Due largely to a decrease in the amount of silver deposited at the Philadelphia Mint, coinage of silver dollars declined throughout the latter years of the 18th century. In 1804, coinage of silver dollars was halted; the last date used during regular mint production was 1803. In 1834, silver dollar production was temporarily restarted to supply a diplomatic mission to Asia with a special set of proof coins. Officials mistakenly believed that dollars had last been minted with the date
Draped Bust dollar
5345534
1893. In 1898, Congress approved a bill that required all remaining bullion purchased under the Sherman Silver Purchase Act to be coined into silver dollars. When those silver reserves were depleted in 1904, the Mint ceased to strike the Morgan dollar. The Pittman Act, passed in 1918, authorized the melting and recoining of millions of silver dollars. Pursuant to the act, Morgan dollars resumed mintage for one year in 1921. The design was replaced by the Peace dollar later the same year. In the early 1960s, a large quantity of uncirculated Morgan dollars in their original bags were discovered in
Morgan dollar
2079475
Parliament passed the Sterling Silver Money Act in 1825, which made British coins the only recognised form of currency and ended any legitimate use of the holey dollar and dump in the Australian colonies. The Coinage Act of 1792 created the United States Mint, but the first U.S. dollars were not as popular as the Spanish dollars, which were heavier and were made of finer silver. Indeed: By far the leading specie coin circulating in America was the Spanish silver dollar, defined as consisting of 387 grains of pure silver. The dollar was divided into "pieces of eight," or "bits,"
Spanish dollar
106284
crown (2s 6d) acquired the nickname "half dollar" in the UK. Chinese demand for silver in the 19th and early 20th centuries led several countries, notably the United Kingdom, United States and Japan, to mint trade dollars, which were often of slightly different weights from comparable domestic coinage. Silver dollars reaching China (whether Spanish, trade, or other) were often stamped with Chinese characters known as "chop marks", which indicated that that particular coin had been assayed by a well-known merchant and deemed genuine. Prior to 1873, the silver dollar circulated in many parts of the world, with a value in
Dollar
3298288
pieces in a loose coin roll to rub together repeatedly, causing steel-gray abrasions, usually on Franklin's cheek and on the center of the Liberty Bell. By mintages, the key dates in this series are the 1948, 1949-S, 1953 and 1955. Franklin half dollars have been extensively melted for their silver, and many dates are rarer than the mintage figures indicate. For example, although more than nine million 1962 halves were struck for circulation, and an additional three million in proof, the coin was more valuable as bullion than in any condition when silver prices reached record levels in 1979–1980. In
Franklin half dollar
3440913
by the public through the redemption of silver certificates. This caused shortages of silver dollars in the western states where the pieces circulated, and interests there sought the issuance of more dollars. On August 3, 1964, Congress passed legislation providing for the striking of 45 million silver dollars. This legislation was enacted when coins vanished from circulation as the price of silver rose past $1.29 per ounce, making silver dollars worth more as bullion than as currency. The new pieces were intended to be used at Nevada casinos and elsewhere in the West where "hard money" was popular. Numismatic periodicals
Eisenhower dollar
15054881
mines from which the company gets most of its silver are : San Dimas, Penasquito, Barrick (made up of five parts), Yauliyacu, Zinkgruvan, Cozamin and Minto. In addition there are six other smaller mines that contribute about 22% of the total. The San Dimas mine was sold by Goldcorp in the summer of 2010 to Mala Noche Resources Corp. (later renamed Primero Mining) for half a billion dollars complicating things for Silver Wheaton which had already made an agreement with Goldcorp for the silver. In response Silver Wheaton agreed to a new contract agreement. The Penasquito mine which began producing
Wheaton Precious Metals Corporation
557776
coinage was often reduced quite openly, while the face value of the debased coins was held at the higher level by legal tender laws. Silver coins were widely circulated in Canada (until 1968) and in the United States (until 1964 for dimes and quarters and 1970 for half-dollars) when the Coinage Act of 1965 was passed. These countries debased their coins by switching to cheaper metals thereby inflating the new debased currency in relation to the supply of the former silver coins. The silver coins disappeared from circulation as citizens retained them to capture the steady current and future intrinsic
Gresham's law
5510032
in the 1792 act. The mandated fineness of US silver coins was changed from .892 to .900 (90%) by the Coinage Act of 1837, passed on January 18, 1837; subsequent Gobrecht dollars were struck in .900 silver. Beginning in 1837, an adaptation of the obverse of the Gobrecht dollar, depicting a seated Liberty, was used on the smaller silver coins (from half dime to half dollar), with Gobrecht's modification of Reich's heraldic eagle on the reverse of the quarter and half dollar. Except on the half dime, abolished in 1873, the designs would remain on those coins for over 50
Seated Liberty dollar
5304157
in New Orleans and San Francisco had featured their mintmarks inside the wreaths. Afterwards, the "O" and "S" (and, later, the "CC" for Carson City) mintmarks were located below the wreath next to the rim. On quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars, the mintmarks were always placed below the eagle but above the coin currency on the reverse. Many people collect Seated coinage by variety. This can range from a repunched mintmark to the position of a date on the coin to a die crack at various stages. This type of collecting has been popular with Bust half dollars for
United States Seated Liberty coinage
8844967
Silver Cross of Rhodesia The Silver Cross of Rhodesia was Rhodesia's second-highest military decoration for conspicuous gallantry. The award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first awards being made in 1974. The last awards were made in June 1980. The medal was a sterling silver cross with an enamelled roundel in the centre bearing a lion's head, suspended from a ribbon woven half-red and half blue, with green edges and narrow white stripes at the inner edge of the green. The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name on the reverse, and was awarded with
Silver Cross of Rhodesia
2325277
as money and by 1878, gold was at par with all U.S. paper dollars. Beginning in 1878, huge amounts of the Morgan silver dollars were produced but few were used as money. The size was too large to carry on business so Silver Certificates were used instead. The mint made the coins, placed them in their vaults and issued the Silver Certificates instead. This is the reason so many Morgan and Peace dollars can be purchased in AU or UNC condition (near perfect)... they sat in bank/U.S. Treasury vaults most of the time. Each coin is composed of 0.77344 troy
Dollar coin (United States)
4403854
banks in the West Indies, targeted at landowners, were made in 1661 by the British government, and in 1690 by Sir Thomas Dalby. Despite this, and Queen Anne's proclamation of 1704 brought the gold standard to the West Indies, silver pieces of eight (Spanish dollars and later Mexican dollars) continued to form a major portion of the circulating currency right into the latter half of the nineteenth century. The abolition of slavery in the West Indies was the catalyst which led to the establishing of the first bank. The Colonial Bank was established on 1 June 1836, and opened its
Trinidad and Tobago dollar
106276
of silver found in Spanish dollar coins in common use in the states. As a result, the United States dollar was defined as a unit of pure silver weighing 371 4/16th grains (24.057 grams), or 416 grains of standard silver (standard silver being defined as 1,485 parts fine silver to 179 parts alloy). It was specified that the "money of account" of the United States should be expressed in those same "dollars" or parts thereof. Additionally, all lesser-denomination coins were defined as percentages of the dollar coin, such that a half-dollar was to contain half as much silver as a
Dollar
16948191
silver coins since the 1790s, they did not always circulate due to fluctuations in the price of the metal. In 1834, for example, half dollars sold on the market at a premium of one percent. The U.S. was then on a bimetallic standard, and though Congress had slightly overvalued silver with respect to gold, enough Mexican silver flowed into the country to produce a rough equilibrium. By early 1849, most of the silver coins in circulation were small coins of the Spanish colonial real, including the "levy" (one real) and "fip" (half real). The levy and fip often passed for
Three-cent silver
1865844
characters and a picture of Vladimir Lenin. Like the paper bill, copper coins issued by the Central Mint also had "Chinese Soviet Republic" (中華蘇維埃共和國) engraved in traditional Chinese. Since coins last longer than paper bills, these coins were issued (and circulated) in a much greater quantity. However, these coins are rarer than the paper bill; copper was needed for ammunition, and these copper coins were recalled and replaced by silver dollars. The predominant currency produced by the Central Mint was the silver dollar. Unlike the bills and copper coins, the silver dollars had no communist symbols; they were a copy
Chinese Soviet Republic
15944422
dimes and quarters up to 1916, on half dollars up to 1915, and on the nickel up to the extremely rare and famous 1913 Liberty Head nickels. Federal Reserve Notes were issued for the first time in 1917. Originally, these were backed by gold, and a note could be, at least in theory, exchanged for gold coin at a bank until 1933 when gold was confiscated from the general public. Silver certificates were exchangeable for silver coin up to June 1968. The design of the American One dollar bill has stayed almost the same since 1935, and the other denominations
Numismatic history of the United States
11465599
"Droits of the Admiralty", and all revenues would revert to them. The four Spanish ships carried a total of 4,286,508 Spanish dollars in silver and gold coin, as well as 150,000 gold ingots, 75 sacks of wool, 1,666 bars of tin, 571 pigs of copper, seal skins and oil, although 1.2 million in silver, half the copper and a quarter of the tin went down with the "Mercedes". Still, the remaining ships and cargo were assessed at a value of £900,000 (equivalent to £ in ). After much legal argument an ex gratia payment was made amounting to £160,000, of
Action of 5 October 1804
9074132
silverware production was moved to Providence RI while sterling silver hollow ware and pewter would remain at the Stieff factory. Manufacturing ceased in 1999 in Baltimore, as operations were consolidated at a Lenox plant in Smithfield RI and later to New Jersey. Today the name survives as a brand of Lifetime Brands Inc., Lifetime bought Kirk-Stieff and other silver brands from Lenox in July 2007. Sale price was 8.775 million dollars (US Dollars) The silver is now made in Puerto Rico, but only as Sterling Flatware (unchased). Of the Stieff patterns, only the pattern Stieff Rose is still made, and
Stieff Silver
16929155
Channel Fleet, which were then forwarded to the Admiralty and revealed the scale of the prize. Aboard "Thetis" was found a quantity of trade cocoa and a series of boxes containing coin, including 333 boxes of 3,000 dollars each, four boxes of 2,385 dollars each, 94 boxes containing 4,000 dollars each and two golden doubloons and 90 golden half-doubloons. This totalled 1,385,292 silver dollars, with a sterling value of £311,690. On "Santa Brigida" were trade cocoa, sugar, indigo and cochineal worth in total about £5,000 as well as 446 boxes containing 3,000 dollars each, 59 bags and three kegs of
Action of 16 October 1799
20497339
Browne in the following manner: Browne's picturesque appearance made him a conspicuous figure wherever he went. Tall, heavy, and bearded, his unkempt hair streaked with gray, he added to the effect by wearing an exaggerated Western costume. It consisted of a buckskin coat with fringes, and buttons made of Mexican silver half-dollars, high boots, a sombrero, a fur cloak when weather permitted, and around his neck, instead of a collar, a string of amber beads, the gift of his dying wife... Closer inspection revealed the reason why his men called him 'Old Greasy. It was suggested that he would have
Carl Browne
15944425
more gold coins or silver dollars after the Executive Order 6102 of 1933 minted in the United States, paper notes took place of the coin denominations above 50 cents. Up to 1964, dimes, quarters and half dollars were still minted in 90% silver; halves would contain 40% silver from 1965 to 1970. The new tradition of placing past presidents and Founding Fathers on coins, which had begun with the 1909 Lincoln cent, continued in the 1930s and 1940s, with the introduction of the Washington quarter in 1932, the Jefferson nickel in 1938, the Roosevelt dime in 1946, and the Franklin
Numismatic history of the United States
9366806
were also placed in circulation. Although 2,501,700 half dollars were melted (all dated 1893), this still left a like number of Columbians in public hands. Coin dealer and numismatic historian Q. David Bowers recalls that when he began collecting coins as a boy in the 1950s, the Columbians were among the most common 19th-century pieces remaining in circulation. It was not until the 1930s that the pieces, in uncirculated condition, commanded the original price of $1. Prices began to rise as silver coins were replaced by base metal ones in the 1960s. In the 2018 deluxe version of Yeoman's catalog,
Columbian half dollar
5540384
the majority of the coins were being hoarded. Hopeful that issuing more 1964-dated coins would counter the speculation in them, the Treasury requested and received Congressional authorization to continue striking 1964-dated coins into 1965. Eventually, almost 430 million half dollars dated 1964 were struck, a sum greater than the total struck for circulation in the sixteen years of the Franklin half dollar series. These minting operations were rapidly depleting the Treasury's stock of silver. Prices for the metal were rising to such an extent that, by early June, a dime contained 9.33 cents' worth of silver at market prices. On
Kennedy half dollar
10037606
with wheelbarrows, armed guards, and even armored cars to haul away the silver. The remaining silver dollars held in the Treasury (2,970,928 as of May 20, 1965) had high numismatic value; Congress in 1970 authorized their sale at a premium to collectors. President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963 led to calls to honor him with a place on one of the circulating coins, and the Kennedy half dollar was authorized by Congress on December 30. When 26 million of the new coins were issued on March 24, 1964, they were immediately hoarded, both by investors and by those wanting a
Coinage Act of 1965
5540383
the portion of the design in question was actually his monogram, a stylized "". The Mint struck Kennedy half dollars in large numbers in an attempt to meet the overwhelming demand. The Treasury had initially planned to issue 91 million half dollars for 1964, but raised the number to 141 million. However, a public announcement of the increase failed to cause more coins to actually circulate or to decrease the prices on the secondary market. By late November, the Mint had struck approximately 160 million pieces, yet the coin was almost never seen in circulation. Silver prices were rising, and
Kennedy half dollar
2273542
US coins were heavily exported, as they could be exchanged at par in the West Indies with heavier Spanish coins, which were then imported as bullion and deposited at the Mint for melting and restriking. In response, in 1804 the US stopped striking silver dollars; issuance of the half dime was discontinued from 1805 until 1829. In 1807, mint Director Robert Patterson in a letter explained to Jefferson (by then president) "nearly the whole of our Silver Bullion (chiefly Spanish dollars) come through the Banks, and it is very seldom that they will consent to take any coin less than
Nickel (United States coin)
4946135
fiat rather than on the commodity value of their contents, and this became especially true following the huge silver strikes in the West, which further depressed the silver price. From that time until the early 1960s the silver content in United States dimes, quarters, half dollars and silver dollars was worth only a fraction of their face values. Free coinage of silver would have amounted to an increase in the money supply, with inflation as the result. Many populist organizations favored an inflationary monetary policy on the grounds that it would enable debtors (often farmers who had mortgages on their
Free silver
3297156
believed to have adapted an earlier John Reich design. All coins were minted at Philadelphia and display no mintmark. The high circulating mintage in the series was in 1835, when 2,760,000 were struck, and the low of 871,000 was in 1837. Both Capped Bust and Liberty Seated half dimes were minted in 1837. These were the last silver half dimes produced. The design features Liberty seated on a rock and holding a shield and was first conceived in 1835 used first on the silver dollar patterns of 1836. The series is divided into several subtypes. The first was struck at
Half dime
7149985
Barber coinage The Barber coinage consists of a nickel, dime, quarter, and half dollar designed by United States Bureau of the Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber. They were minted between 1892 and 1916, though no half dollars were struck in the final year of the series. By the late 1880s, there were increasing calls for the replacement of the Seated Liberty design, used since the 1830s on most denominations of silver coins. In 1891, Mint Director Edward O. Leech, having been authorized by Congress to approve coin redesigns, ordered a competition, seeking a new look for the silver coins.
Barber coinage
6704992
"klippes" of 1733-1734, as well as many more hundreds of "pillar dollars" and a smattering of cobs from other mints. However, archaeologists have determined that up to half of the money on board was intended for illegal trade, as they were not part of the sanctioned cargo. Many of the discovered coins were also made with small deliberate holes, which suggest that crewmen were sewing them into their clothes to smuggle to the Dutch East Indies. Crewmen were able to make a profit off of buying silver in the Netherlands and then selling it in the Dutch East Indies, where
Rooswijk
5345551
22, 1918, stated that "sales of silver bullion under authority of this act may be made for the purpose of conserving the existing stock of gold in the United States, of providing silver for subsidiary coinage and for commercial use, and of assisting foreign governments at war with the enemies of the United States". The Pittman Act authorized the U.S. to melt up to 350,000,000 silver dollars, and this commenced immediately after the Act's passage. The U.S. eventually melted a total of 270,232,722 silver dollars. Of that amount, 259,121,554 were sold to the United Kingdom at the cost of one
Morgan dollar
10252315
of the "Mercedes" also applies to any cargo the "Mercedes" was carrying when it sank." January 31, 2012, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta rejected a motion from Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. to stay the same court's November decision ordering the company to turn over the hoard. On February 9, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an emergency application for a stay filed by Odyssey Marine, which said it wanted to maintain possession of a half billion dollars' worth of gold and silver coins until a final decision is made about who owns them. Justice
Black Swan Project
779899
intonation. Fewer than 2,000 were ever made. Hodges' Vito saxophone was silver-plated and extensively engraved on the bell, bow, body and key-cups of the instrument. Hodges' last performances were at the Imperial Room in Toronto, less than a week before his May 11, 1970 death from a heart attack, suffered during a visit to the office of a dental surgeon. His last recordings are featured on the "New Orleans Suite", which was only half-finished when he died. He had a wife, Edith Cue, and two children: John Hodges Jr. and Lorna Majata. The loss of Hodges' sound prompted Ellington, upon
Johnny Hodges
20293326
and effectively allowed for free coinage of silver coins as the Act had neglected to set a ceiling limit on the amount of bullion the Mint could purchase. As the silver coins had a legal tender limit of $5, a glut arose of the lightweight silver coins on the market in the late 1850s. Treasury Secretary James Guthrie briefly suspended the coinage of quarters and half dollars as a result of the surplus, but never investigated the Mint policy responsible for creating the oversupply. The nation's silver redundancy lasted until 1862, when the pinch of the Civil War caused coins
Coinage Act of 1853
10037639
it was not until December 31, 1970, that President Richard Nixon signed legislation for a circulating half dollar and Eisenhower dollar, both silverless, with part-silver collector's versions of the dollar also authorized. The same bill authorized the sale of the remaining old silver dollars in government inventories, many from the Carson City Mint. The base metal dollar and half dollar were struck beginning in 1971. Both failed to circulate: the "Ike dollar" because of its size, and the half dollar because its place in commerce had been lost during its long absence. Coinage Act of 1965 The Coinage Act of
Coinage Act of 1965
10037617
situation. On June 11, the committee issued a report recommending the bill pass, with amendments requiring the half dollar to be made of base metal, requiring the silver coins that would be struck during the transition period to be dated 1964, and banning the striking of silver dollars for five years. One day of hearings on S. 2080, the version introduced into the Senate, was held before that body's Committee on Banking and Currency on June 9, with Virginia Senator A. Willis Robertson, the chairman, presiding. Senator Bible and others from mining states sought to retain silver in the currency
Coinage Act of 1965
19003515
Monroe Doctrine Centennial, this coin does no credit to Beach's stature as a first-class artist. What the coin exudes in patriotism, it lacks in art." A total of 162,099 Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial half dollars were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in April and May, 1925, with 99 pieces set aside for inspection and testing by the 1926 Assay Commission. The coins were made from blanks, or planchets, that had been intended for mintage into 1924 Stone Mountain Memorial half dollars, but had not been used. The first coin struck was presented to President Coolidge. The half dollars were sold at the
Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial half dollar
5513524
its opening in 1792), Moore determined that the last silver dollars struck were dated 1804. Unknown to either of them, the last production in March 1804 was actually dated 1803. Since they believed that the last striking was dated 1804, it was decided to strike the presentation pieces with that date as well. It is unknown why the current date was not used, but R.W. Julian suggests that this was done to prevent coin collectors from being angered over the fact that they would be unable to obtain the newly dated coins. The first two 1804 dollars (as well as
Draped Bust dollar
10037638
making its final sales of bullion to the Franklin Mint. Mint marks returned to the coinage in 1968. With the end of the Coinage Act's five-year prohibition on the striking of silver dollars approaching in 1969 and 1970, many in Congress wanted a new silver dollar, bearing the image of the recently deceased president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The melt value of the new part-silver half dollars had approached their face value, and in 1969, the Joint Commission recommended the elimination of that metal from the halves. The battle over whether to have silver in the proposed dollar proved contentious, and
Coinage Act of 1965
10841008
brought the gold standard to the West Indies, silver pieces of eight (Spanish dollars and later Mexican dollars) continued to form a major portion of the circulating currency right into the latter half of the nineteenth century. Britain adopted the gold standard in 1821 and an imperial order-in-council of 1838 resulted in Antigua formally adopting the sterling currency on 13 January 1847. However, despite the circulation of British silver coins in Antigua, the silver pieces of eight continued to circulate alongside them, and the private sector continued to use dollar accounts for reckoning. The international silver crisis of 1873 signalled
Antigua dollar
3613935
dollars intended specifically to satisfy the earlier obligation for redemption in silver dollars were found in Treasury vaults. As was usual with currency during this period, the year date on the bill did not reflect when it was printed, but rather a major design change. Additional changes, particularly when either of the two signatures was altered, led to a letter being added below the date. One notable exception was the Series 1935G $1 silver certificate, which included notes both with and without the motto "In God We Trust" on the reverse. 1935 dated one dollar certificates lasted through the letter
Silver certificate (United States)
13497835
even during his trial, despite the fact that Liberty Dollars bore no physical resemblance to any currently issued current money of the United States. The silver round. the most popular form of Liberty Dollars, was made of one ounce of .999 fine silver, unlike any money issued by the government, and the Liberty Dollar certificates were made in different colors and sizes so as to be easily distinguished from current money. In connection with the Liberty Dollar business, a federal grand jury brought an indictment against von NotHaus and three others in May 2009 accusing him of counterfeiting U.S. currency.
Bernard von NotHaus
2325282
the western powers and large silver coins from China, Korea, and Japan also bear these chopmarks. While most chopmarked coins are generally worth less than those without, some of the more fascinating chopmarks can actually give the coin a modest premium. Trade dollars did not circulate in the United States initially, but were legal tender for up to $5. Things changed, however, in 1876, when the price of silver spiraled downward as western producers dumped silver on the market, making the trade dollar worth more at face value than its silver content. That resulted in trade dollars pouring back into
Dollar coin (United States)
8714790
and 1937-D half dollars in 1943. A letter to the editor in the September 1943 issue of "The Numismatist" stated that the group was selling the pieces at $5 to finance stakes made of Oregon wood with which to mark the Trail. The sum of five dollars, which included membership, paid for a coin at a time, the letter noted, when the pieces were selling at $1.50 from dealers. Minnie Howard was still in 1947 trying to secure the site of Fort Hall, and as part of that effort got Idaho Senator Henry Dworshak to introduce legislation allowing the issuance
Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar
16676944
for every three dollars of revenue brought in from the half dollars, two were paid out in expenses, a ratio Hyder and Colbert called "incredible". Of the total sum raised by the Association, only 27 cents of each dollar went to the carving. Venable stated that the Stone Mountain monument had "developed into the most colossal failure in history". The Association was discredited by the results of the audit; the Georgia Senate voted to accuse it of gross mismanagement of funds. Randolph resigned when Venable made it clear he would not negotiate an extension of the twelve-year deadline unless he
Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar
5540388
in the House of Representatives initially scuttled the legislation, disliking the idea of depicting Eisenhower on a base metal coin. The dispute dragged on for over a year before President Nixon signed a bill on December 31, 1970 which authorized production of the Eisenhower dollar and eliminated the remaining 40% silver from the half dollar. As a result of the delay, in 1970 non-proof half dollars were only minted in Denver and were available solely in mint sets. With a mintage of 2.1 million, the 1970-D Kennedy half is considered the "key" coin in the series, although enough were produced
Kennedy half dollar
10037611
flood the nation with coins by 1965. Despite an increased need for coins in an improving economy, merchants made it past the 1964 holiday season without severe shortages, though the half dollar had stopped circulating. Most Fed facilities reported sufficient supplies of cents and nickels, with some still short on dimes and quarters, and shortages of half dollars everywhere—one Fed official wrote that his branch had not seen a half dollar deposited by a bank in eight months. The Treasury conducted extensive research, and in May 1965 concluded that the nation could not go on using so much silver in
Coinage Act of 1965
3365870
Spanish dollar to supersede the ducat as the dominant currency of world trade. Around 1913, the gold ducat was worth the equivalent of "nine shillings and four pence sterling, or somewhat more than two dollars. The silver ducat is of about half this value." Even now some national mints produce batches of ducats made after old patterns as bullion gold and banks sell these coins to private investors or collectors. Ducat The ducat was a gold or silver coin used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages until as late as the 20th century. Many types
Ducat
5345537
act, bullion producers were allowed to bring bullion to the mints in order to be cast into bars or coined into the newly authorized trade dollars for a small fee. Trade dollars initially held legal tender status, but it was revoked in 1876 to prevent bullion producers from making a profit by coining silver into trade dollars when the value of the metal was low. The restrictions on free coinage laid out in the Coinage Act initially met little resistance from mining interests until the price of silver declined rapidly due to increased mining in the Western United States. Protests
Morgan dollar
1415601
2010 in accordance with President Obama's pledge that all combat troops would be out of Iraq by the end of August. The Shanghai Bowl has become a very important symbol of the lineage of the 31st Infantry Regiment. The large silver punch bowl and its matching cups were made in 1932 by a Shanghai silversmith, fashioned from approximately 1,600 silver US Trade Dollars that were collected from the officers of the unit. When Bataan fell to the Japanese in April 1942 it became obvious that the 31st would be forced to surrender. To keep these important items from falling into
31st Infantry Regiment (United States)
9170688
in Dominica, the silver pieces of eight continued to circulate alongside them, and the private sector continued to use dollar accounts for reckoning. The international silver crisis of 1873 signalled the end of the silver dollar era in the West Indies and silver dollars were demonetized in Dominica in the wake of this crisis for fear that a silver standard might return. Even though the British sterling coins were made of silver, they were fractional coins of the British gold sovereign and hence they maintained their gold value. This left a state of affairs, in which the British coinage circulated,
Dominican dollar
5540395
the Mint announced plans to issue seven special 2014 Kennedy half dollars in commemoration of the series' fiftieth anniversary: two in clad, from Philadelphia and Denver, four in silver from Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and the West Point Mint, and one in .9999 gold, from West Point. The clad and silver versions bear the normal date; the gold coin has the double date 1964–2014. All have higher relief than the usual issues. The gold coins were released in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association convention in Rosemont, Illinois on August 5, 2014. With the exception of 1965 through 1967, proofs
Kennedy half dollar
5540389
to keep prices modest. The Mint did not announce that 1970 half dollars would not be struck for circulation until after mint set ordering had closed. By the time silver was eliminated from the half dollar, it had been out of circulation for so long that some banks had eliminated the slot for the denomination from machines. The Mint anticipated a significant comeback for the denomination, but in July 1971, Mint Director Mary Brooks disclosed that the Treasury was holding 200 million of the new base metal half dollars, as commercial banks expressed little interest in ordering them. "I can't
Kennedy half dollar
5345490
last of the purchased silver into dollars. Once it did, production of the coin ceased. During World War I, the German government hoped to destabilize British rule over India by spreading rumors that the British were unable to redeem for silver all of the paper currency they had printed. These rumors, and hoarding of silver, caused the price of silver to rise and risked damaging the British war effort. The British turned to their war ally, the United States, asking to purchase silver to increase the supply and lower the price. In response, Congress passed the Pittman Act of April
Peace dollar
4764064
to the West Indies, silver pieces of eight (Spanish dollars and later Mexican dollars) continued to form a major portion of the circulating currency right into the latter half of the nineteenth century. Britain adopted the gold standard in 1821 and an imperial order-in-council of 1838 resulted in Barbados formally adopting the British sterling coinage in the year 1848. However, despite the circulation of British coins in Barbados the silver pieces of eight continued to circulate alongside them and the private sector continued to use dollar accounts for reckoning. The international silver crisis of 1873 signalled the end of the
Barbadian dollar
5515699
were overweight. This was remedied by filing the face of the planchets; for this reason, the coins vary in weight more dramatically than later issues, which were minted with more precise equipment. The first silver dollars were struck on October 15, 1794. The silver used for the 1794 dollars came solely from silver ingots deposited with the Mint by Mint Director David Rittenhouse on August 22, 1794. Per a handwritten coin transfer warrant issued by Director Rittenhouse on October 15, 1794, 1,758 silver dollars were transferred from the custody of Chief Coiner Henry Voigt to the custody of Mint Treasurer
Flowing Hair dollar
14373717
("despotes") [Emperor's name] the Palaiologos / by God's Grace, Emperor ("Basileus") of the Romans". In the "stavrata" of John V's reign, the inscriptions were in reverse order, and under Manuel II, the inner inscription used the term "Autokrator" instead: "Θ[ΕΟ]V ΧΑΡΙΤΙ AVTOKΡΑΤOΡ". Until 1990, when a hoard of ninety coins appeared, and with the exception of two half-"stavrata", no silver coins of the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI (r. 1449–1453), were known to have survived. Stavraton The stavraton or stauraton () was a type of silver coin used during the last century of the Byzantine Empire. The name "stavraton" first
Stavraton
5614468
from Bank of America. Part of the bank's required reserves were held in silver dollars, which provided the opportunity to profit from a rise in silver prices. The holdings, estimated to be 1.5 million silver dollars, was sold to a coin dealer to raise money in the early 1980s. Notes Continental Illinois The Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company was at one time the seventh-largest commercial bank in the United States as measured by deposits with approximately $40 billion in assets. In 1984, Continental Illinois became the largest ever bank failure in U.S. history, when a run on the
Continental Illinois
5345554
March 1964, millions of Morgan and Peace dollars were sold to the general public. The demand to exchange silver certificates for silver dollars was so great that lines formed outside of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. Some people in line were pushing wheelbarrows. The U.S. Treasury discovered previously unknown mint bags of Carson City dollars in its vaults containing slightly more than 2.8 million Carson City silver dollars in the Treasury vaults. Treasury officials decided to hold them back because the total number of coins minted at the Carson City mint were generally lower than others. On May 12,
Morgan dollar
3440923
silver was to avoid the hoarding which had driven the Kennedy half dollar from circulation. Although the compromise passed the Senate in March 1970, it was blocked in the House by Representative Patman, who was determined to end silver in the coinage. The Senate passed the bill again in September, this time attaching it as a rider to a bank holding company bill sought by Patman. The bill, which also included provisions to eliminate silver from the half dollar and to transfer the rare silver dollars to the GSA, was approved by a conference committee and passed both houses. Nixon
Eisenhower dollar
3439452
known, have narrower, sharper lettering on the reverse. All silver pieces (struck only at San Francisco) are Type I; all three mints struck both Type I and Type II copper nickel pieces. All dollars included in 1975 proof sets are Type I; all those included in 1976 proof sets are Type II. Bicentennial coins for collectors were not delivered until after July 4, 1975. The Bicentennial pieces, in base metal, were included in 1975 proof sets and mint sets together with 1975-dated cents, nickels and dimes. The new coins first entered circulation on July 7, 1975, when the half dollar
United States Bicentennial coinage