1793 Half-Cent The first year the half-cent was minted for circulation was 1793, and over 35,000 coins were released that year. Few of those survive. This first version of the half-penny shows ...

Like most American coins of the 1700s and 1800s, pennies usually featured some depiction of Liberty, often a bust, on the obverse (front of the coin). Seven different versions of large cents were ...