1848 Medium Date

The 1848 Medium Date half dime uses date numerals of intermediate size, between the Large Date and Small Date versions that also exist for the year. The Mint used multiple date punches in 1848, creating the three recognized varieties. The Medium Date is the most commonly encountered of the three and represents the bulk of 1848 Philadelphia production.

1848 was a pivotal year in American history. Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in California in January, and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War in February, transferring vast territories including California to the United States. The confluence of these events would reshape the country over the following years, though the immediate effects on the half dime denomination were minimal. The coin circulated through the early months of the Gold Rush as news spread eastward and the first prospectors began heading west.

The 1848 is a common date across all three date-size varieties. Die varieties exist within each version, but specialist attention is limited. Surviving examples are available in circulated grades at moderate prices.