Question: Draped Bust Half Dollars & Bust Dollars

Hyperion

Im exposing myself to know little of these US types... sorry if this is a dumb question.

why is there no denomination on them ?!?!? I was looking at a pic of a half and thought it was a dollar ! (Im too newbie to know the years and story behind these coins, but Im starting to look!) Im going to feel like a dumbass if Im missing it.

goose3

I read your ? too quickly.

Cladiator

I think it was assumed that people would know the denomination based on the size of the coin. The dime and half dime had no denomination either. Strangley though, the quarter did.

Cladiator

<< <i>read the edge. >>

The little guys didn't have the denom. on the edge.

Hyperion

<< <i>I think it was assumed that people would know the denomination based on the size of the coin. The dime and half dime had no denomination either. Strangley though, the quarter did. >>



sucks if you're looking at listing images where they're sized identically, and the poster didn't explicitly state the denom

RichieURich

At that time in the history of our country, a lot of people couldn't read, so putting the denomination on the coin wouldn't help. Also, a lot of foreign coins also circulated because of a shortage of U. S. coinage, therefore, silver coins circulated based on their size. A 2 reales coin from Mexico was about the same size as a quarter, so it circulated at that value.