1795 Small Head

The 1795 Small Head Flowing Hair half dollar is a die-variety subset within the 1795 issue that collectors track because Liberty's portrait was struck from a noticeably smaller obverse hub than the standard head used across most of the year's production. A "hub" is the master tool that imparts Liberty's portrait into each working die; a different hub means a different overall portrait, not just a die-to-die touch-up. The Small Head obverses show shorter hair curls, a flatter truncation at the base of the neck, and slightly different bust proportioning, giving the portrait a more compact, sculptural look. Because only a small number of 1795 working dies came from this smaller hub before the standard head took over the bulk of production, surviving Small Head examples are a measurably scarcer share of the overall 1795 mintage and are recognized as a distinct collectible category.

Authentication runs through two checkpoints. First is the obverse comparison itself: place the candidate alongside Overton plate photographs of the Small Head obverse and the standard 1795 head, and look for the smaller overall portrait, the shorter hair curls falling forward from the temple, and the flatter, slightly stepped truncation at the bust. Liberty's eye position, the spacing of the hair strands across the cheek, and the relationship of the lowest curl to the date should all match the Small Head plates rather than the standard head. Second is the certification record: because the premium over a standard 1795 hinges entirely on correct attribution, the working market standard is a PCGS or NGC holder that explicitly designates "Small Head" on the label. Raw coins offered as Small Head without third-party attribution should be evaluated cautiously, since unattributed examples tend to trade closer to standard 1795 levels.

For collectors, the Small Head sits one rung above the standard 1795 in a Flowing Hair half dollar set, not a key date on the level of 1794, but firmly in variety-specialist territory and pulling a meaningful premium when properly attributed, especially in problem-free circulated grades where the diagnostic portrait detail can still be confirmed. Demand comes from Flowing Hair type collectors filling a "best 1795" slot and from Overton-focused specialists working die marriages systematically. For broader background on where the Small Head fits within the wider 1794-1795 issue, see the Flowing Hair Half Dollar series history.