HALF-BROTHER, HALF-SISTER.
Persons who have the same father, but dif ferent mothers ; the same mother, but dif ferent fathers.
A copper coin of the United States, of the value of one two-hun dredth part of a dollar, or five mills.
This coin was authorized by resolution of congress, passed July 6, 1785, as follows : "Resolved, That the smallest coin be of cop per, of which two hundred shall pass for one dollar." It was first issued under the act of the 2d of April, 1792, by which act the weight of the coin was fixed at one hundred and four grains. In 1796, it was reduced, by the pro clamation of President Washington, under a law of that year, to ninety-four grains; at which rate it was continued to be coined until the passage of the act of Feb. 21, 1.S57, 1,y which it was directed that the coinage of the lalf-cent shall cease. The first half-cents were issued in 1793, the last in 1857.
See DEFENCE.
A silver coin of the Jutted States, of the value of five cents, or he one-twentieth part of a dollar.
It weighs nineteen grains and two-tenths of a vain,—Nual to four-hundredths of an ounce Troy,— ond is of the fineness of nine hundred thousandths; line hundred parts being pure silver, and one bun 'red parts copper. The fineness of the coin is pre cribed by the 8th section of the general mint law, Gassed Jan. 18, 1837. 5 Stat. at Large, 137. The weight of the coin is fixed by the lat section of the let of Feb. 21, 1853. 10 Stat. at Large, 160. The ;ccond section of this last-cited act direots that sil ver coins issued in conformity to that act shall be legal tender in payment of debts for all sums nut oxceeding five dollars. This provision applies to he half-dollar and all silver coins below that dono nination. The first coinage of half-dimes was in 1793. A few half "dimes, with a likeness of Mrs. Washington the wife of the president, upon the obverse of ihe coin, were issued in 1792; but they were not of the regular coinage.
A silver coin of the United States, of half the value of the dollar it unit, and to contain one hundred and oighty-five grains and ten sixteenth parts of t grain of 'pure, or two hundred and eight gains of standard, silver. 1 U. S. Stat. at Large, 348. Under this law, the fineness of the silver coins of the United States was 892.4 thousandths of pure silver.
2. The weight and fineness of the silver coins were somewhat changed by the act of Jon. 18, 1837, 5 Stat. at Large, 137; the weight of the half-dol lar being by this act fixed at two hundred and six and one-quarter grains, and the fineness at nine hundred thousandths; conforming, in respect to lneneas, with the coinage of France and most other nations.
3. The weight of the half-dollar was reduced by he act of February 21, 1853, 10 Stat. at Large, 160, co one hundred and ninety-two grains, at which rate it continues to be issued,—the standard of fineness remaining the same.
4. The half-dollars coined under the acts of 1792 and 1837 (1 and 2, as above) are a legal tender at their nominal value in payment of debts to any amount. Those coined since the passage of the act of February 21, 1853, are a legal tender in pay ment of debts for all sums not exceeding fire dol • lays. See. 2. The silver coins struck in the year 1853, under this last-cited act, may be distinguished from the others of that year by the arrow-beads on the right and left of the date of the piece. In 1854, and subsequent years, the arrow-heads are omitted.
A gold coin of the United States, of the value of five dollars.
The weight of the piece is one hundred and twenty-nine grains of standard fineness, namely, sine hundred thousandths of pure gold, and one hundred of alloy of silver and copper : "provided that the silver do not exceed one-half of the whole alloy." Act of Jan. 18, 1837, 5 U. S. Stat. at Large, 136. As the proportion of silver and copper is not fixed by law further than to prescribe that the sil ver therein shall not exceed fifty in every thousand parts, the proportion was made the subject of a special instruction by Mr. the late director of the mint, as followa:— " As it is highly important to secure uniformity in our gold coinage, all deposits of native gold, or gold not previously refined, should be assayed for silver, Without oxeeption, and refined to from nine hundred and ninety to nine hundred and ninety three, say averaging nine hundred and ninety-one as near as may be. When any of the deposits prove to be nine hundred and ninety, or finer, they should be reserved to be mixed with the refined gold. The gold coin of the mint and its branches will then be nearly thus: gold, nine hundred silver, eight; copper, ninety-two ; and thus a granter uniformity of color will be attained than was heretofore ao oomplished." The instructions on this point were prescribed by the director in September, 1853. Mint Pamphlet, "Instructions relative to the Business of the Mint," 14.
For all sums whatever tho half-eagle is a legal tender of payment of five dollars. Act of Congress above cited, sec. 10, p. 138. The first issues of this coin at the mint of the United States were in 1795.