Flowing Hair Half Dimes 1794-1795

About This Series

Ranking among the earliest coins produced by the United States Mint after its establishment in 1792, the Flowing Hair half dime shares Robert Scot's elegant neoclassical design with the contemporaneous half dollar and dollar denominations — a unified artistic vision across three denominations that reflected the young nation's aspiration toward classical republican ideals. The obverse portrays Liberty with flowing, unrestrained hair — an allegory of freedom — while the reverse depicts a small eagle perched within an open laurel wreath. Approximately 86,416 half dimes were struck across both years (7,756 in 1794 and 78,660 in 1795), and surviving examples are scarce in all grades. The Logan-McCloskey (LM) reference catalogs the die varieties, identifying the specific die combinations used across both years of production. Struck in .8924 fine silver at just 1.35 grams with a 16.5mm diameter, these tiny coins were the smallest silver denomination in the Mint's initial output. High-grade survivors are rare because the coins' diminutive size and soft silver composition led to rapid wear and frequent loss. The 1794 half dime is particularly prized as a first-year piece, though both dates command strong premiums. Flowing Hair half dimes represent the beginning of a denomination that would continue through four design types until discontinuation in 1873.