1792 half disme

American silver coin January 2026 thumb|right|Obverse and reverse of the half disme The 1792 half disme (' d aɪ m DYM or ' d i: m DEEM)Smith Orosz Augsburger 2017 321–324 is an American silver coin with a face value of five cents (20 U.S. dollar) which was minted in 1792. Although it is subject to debate as to whether this was intended to be circulating coinage or instead an experimental issue, President George Washington referred to it as "a small beginning" and many of the coins eventually were released into circulation.Malone Daniel 1792 Half Disme (Deem) First Coin US Coin Image, Facts https://coinauctionshelp.com/Half_Disme_First_U.S._Coin_Minted.html coinauctionshelp.com January 6, 2026 2011http://www.coin-collecting-guide-for-beginners.com/half-dimes.html Half Dimes May 31, 2011 It is widely (although not universally) considered the first United States coinage struck under authority of the Coinage Act of 1792.http://coins.heritageauctions.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=404&Lot_No=1860 1792 Half Disme SP67 PCGS, sold for $1,322,500 April 26, 2006 August 21, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060905092843/http://coins.heritageauctions.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=404&Lot_No=1860 September 5, 2006 Description The coin is 16.5 mm in diameter. The obverse depicts the head of Liberty and the inscription LIB. PAR. OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY, "Liberty, parent of Science and Industry."https://www.amrevmuseum.org/read-the-revolution/forged-in-philadelphia Forged in Philadelphia - Museum of the American Revolution The reverse shows UNI. STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DISME along with an eagle and a star.https://coinauctionshelp.com/Half_Disme_First_U.S._Coin_Minted.html?amp=1 1792 Half Disme (Deem) First Coin US Coin Image, Facts coinauctionshelp.com Origins When speaking to the House of Representatives in November 1792, President Washington mentioned the "want of small coins in circulation" and stated that he had begun work on establishing a U.S. Mint and that some half dismes had been produced already. At this point, most of the personnel had been hired, but the Mint's buildings and machinery were not yet ready. As a result, the half dismes, which had been struck in or around July 1792, were produced using the private facilities of local craftsman John Harper, although under the auspices of official Mint personnel. In his personal log book, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson recorded the receipt of 1,500 specimens on July 13. Because of President Washington's connection with these early coins, numismatic folklore holds that the portrait on the obverse is that of First Lady Martha Washington and that some of the coins were struck using melted-down silverware from the Washington household.Garrett Guth 2019 28 However, there is no solid evidence for either of these assertions. http://www.stacks.com/lotdetail.aspx?lrid=AN00005592&fs=true 1792 half disme. Judd-7, Pollock-7. Rarity-4 2004 Stack's: Rare Coins for Sale: Numismatic Auctions Stack's, LLC The legend part of the story has it that George Washington personally donated tableware to be melted for the silver, and in return received these pieces to give as gifts to VIPs. Another bit of folklore is that the image is of Martha Washington, which does not square at all with reality (for example, a contemporary portrait of Martha Washington, an image of which is in our research file, looks nothing at all like the portrait on the half disme). April 22, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070314180023/http://www.stacks.com/lotdetail.aspx?lrid=AN00005592&fs=true March 14, 2007 To the contrary, evidence uncovered from Thomas Jefferson's memorandum book shows that he provided "75 (Mexican) Silver Dollars" and received the first 1,500 half dismes. He then spent those coins on his trip home to Monticello.Augsburger Pete Smith Joel J. Orosz Leonard A More Accurate History of the 1792 Half Disme https://blog.money.org/coin-collecting/history-of-the-1792-disme September 4, 2021 blog.money.org July 14, 2020 en Production, rarity, and value Although the exact number is not known, it is believed that between 2,000 and 3,500 specimens were produced. Approximately 10% of these survive today; one expert estimated between 250 and 400 half dismes exist, and most appear to have been used in circulation for some time. A 1792 half disme graded AU55 by PCGS was auctioned for $138,000 on July 23, 2004. http://archive.org/details/oliverjungcollec2004amer_a8o1 The Oliver Jung Collection July 23, 2004 American Numismatic Rarities, LLC Newman Numismatic Portal A 1792 half disme graded MS65 was valued in 2018 on the American reality television series Pawn Stars at $500,000–600,000.2018 Pawn Stars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTKbcAKbQtU&list=PLZ8FA96YO7hdBGCbGQLlLC55lUSVFBpNj&index=14 February 10, 2022 Pawn Stars - Youtube A specimen strike from the Starr collection, graded MS67 by PCGS, sold for $1,322,500 on April 26, 2006. The highest numerically graded piece, an NGC MS68, sold for $1,500,000 by private treaty transaction in 2007.http://news.coinupdate.com/finest-known-half-disme-0651/ Finest Known 1792 Half Disme To Be Displayed Although nearly all 1792 half dismes were produced in a silver alloy, a unique pattern piece in copper is also known.Garrett Guth 2019 28 See also Money Numismatics United States Half dime Nickel (United States coin) Dime (United States coin) References Bibliography Garrett Jeff Guth Ron 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, Fifth Edition 2019 Whitman Publishing 978-0-7948-4647-3 5th https://www.google.com/books/edition/100_Greatest_U_S_Coins_Fifth_Edition/4uc-tgEACAAJ?hl=en en Garrett Guth 2019 Smith Pete Orosz Joel J. Augsburger Leonard 1792: Birth of a Nation's Coinage 2017 Ivy Press 978-1-63351-298-6 https://www.google.com/books/edition/1792/-tEIvgAACAAJ en Smith Orosz Augsburger 2017 External links 1792 Half Disme Complete History CoinResource.com - Birch Half Disme 1792 Category:Five-cent coins of the United States