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Bicentennial half dollar
Independence Hall on the reverse, dated 1776-1976.
What our records show
- For 1975–1976, the years this site covers for this design, our table has production figures for 2 of 2 years.
- Facilities in the record, with the mark their coins carried: Philadelphia: no mint mark (1975–1976); Denver: D (1975–1976).
- What the figures count: coins struck each calendar year for circulation, proofs counted separately (annual reports).
“A temporary reverse featuring Independence Hall in Philadelphia appeared in 1975 and 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence.”
“Includes 161,680,710 Bicentennial dollars, 378,514,000 Bicentennial half dollars, and 816,568,000 Bicentennial quarters. Other coins of these denominations were dated 1974. Coins of other denominations were dated 1975.”
“All dollars, half dollars, and quarters bore the Bicentennial designs and were dated 1776-1976; other denominations were dated 1976.”
Metal, weight and size, where a Mint table dates it
| Coin years | Specification and source |
|---|---|
| 1975–1976 | Metal: copper-nickel clad: outer 75% copper, 25% nickel bonded to a core of pure copper · Weight: 11.34 g · Diameter: 30.61 mm Sources: Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1975, PDF p. 79 (printed p. 67), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1976, PDF p. 70 (printed p. 58), Table 5. Covers the coins each annual report lists as currently manufactured in its fiscal year (from fiscal 1977, October to September; before that, July to June). We match each report to the coin year of the same number; the fiscal 1971 report's table is for coins made in calendar 1970. |
Each row covers only the coin years its source establishes. Proof and collector versions can differ and aren't covered.
How many were made
| Year | Philadelphia no mint mark | Denver D | What the figure counts, and notes | Source (see list below) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 238,058,000 | 229,887,300 | struck that calendar year for circulation 1975 calendar-year production, a mix of 1974-dated and 1776-1976-dated coins; the report gives the Bicentennial part only as an all-mints total. “Includes 161,680,710 Bicentennial dollars, 378,514,000 Bicentennial half dollars, and 816,568,000 Bicentennial quarters. Other coins of these denominations were dated 1974. Coins of other denominations were dated 1975.” (Mint report) | 1 |
| 1976 | 71,240,000 | 72,119,248 | struck that calendar year for circulation 1976 calendar-year production, all dated 1776-1976. “All dollars, half dollars, and quarters bore the Bicentennial designs and were dated 1776-1976; other denominations were dated 1976.” (Mint report) | 2 |
- Mint annual report, fiscal 1976, PDF p. 107, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1975
- Mint annual report, fiscal 1977, PDF p. 87, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1976
Where the mint mark is
“When mint marks returned in 1968, they were placed on the obverse, after having previously been on the reverse of coins.” (U.S. Mint)
Sources
- Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1976 and transition quarter. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
- Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended September 30, 1977. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
- Half Dollar (U.S. Mint, Circulating Coins). United States Mint (archived copy).
- Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1975. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Figures and quotes checked against their sources on October 12, 2026.