1794 50C Flowing Hair Half Dollar PCGS XF-40 CAC

CAC. The 1794 Flowing Hair Half Dollar represents the very first year of the United States half dollar series. With a mintage of only 23,464 pieces, it was struck during the infancy of the U.S. Mint, when production was limited and every denomination was essential to establishing a national monetary system. PCGS has graded only 572 examples of this truly rare first-year issue, underscoring its remarkable scarcity.

The low survival rate strongly suggests that many 1794 half dollars entered the China trade, where American silver coins circulated extensively and often disappeared. Heavy commercial use further reduced the number of coins that survived in collectible condition, making attractive original examples increasingly difficult to obtain. This PCGS XF-40 CAC specimen retains impressive detail while preserving the character expected of a well-circulated but carefully preserved early federal issue.

Collectors recognize the 1794 half dollar as a key representative of America's earliest coinage. PCGS has graded only 7 examples in XF-40, with just 26 finer, while CAC has approved only 4 coins in XF-40 with 10 finer. Those exceptionally small population figures reflect the rarity of this desirable certified example and reinforce its appeal to advanced collectors of early United States coinage.