1913 Var. 2 Recessed Ground USA Nickel AU-UNC (AU-55)

1913 Var. 2 Recessed Ground USA Nickel AU-UNC (AU-55)

The half dime, or half disme, was one of the first coins to be produced by the US Mint, with about 1,500 half dismes struck in 1792, though it is debated that this first coin was only a test piece. In 1794, production resumed using the "Flowing Hair" design, and the "s" in disme was dropped, as many had trouble pronouncing the word disme ("deem"), and the half disme became the half dime. These coins were originally made of silver, but in the 1860s, the composition switched to a copper-nickel alloy. As the introduction of this new alloyed coin made the silver coins redundant, the half dime was discontinued in favour of the coin we now know as the nickel.

Obverse: Composite profile of a Native American, thought to be Iron Tail (Oglala Lakota), Two Moons (Northern Cheyenne), and Big Tree (Kiowa), with the date below and the word "Liberty" at 2 o'clock.
Reverse: A Buffalo, with country name above and denomination on recessed ground below. A mintmark would be found below the "E C" of "FIVE CENTS".

Specifications:
Engraver: James Earle Fraser
Composition: Copper-nickel
Weight: 5 g
Diameter: 21.2 mm
Edge: Plain
Die Axis: ↑ ↓
Mint: Philadelphia, USA
Mint: 29,857,186