This organization is dedicated to collecting the Early United States Half Dollars, minted from 1794 through 1836, commonly called Bust Halves.

Club History

The Bust Half Nut Club (BHNC) could be best described as a group of individuals whose main interest or specialty is devoted to the collection and study of the early U.S. half dollars which were struck at the Philadelphia mint using a hand operated screw press.

The BHNC currently consists of over 100 active collectors around the country, whose primary goal is to assemble a complete as possible set of Bust half dollars by die marriage (and possibly by die state), as described in Early Half Dollar Die Varieties, 1794-1836, by Al C. Overton.

BHNC is really not a club in the traditional definition of the word. When formed in 1966 with its 6 charter members, there were no by-laws, elections, or club officers; just correspondence, telephone calls, and an occasional road trip. It was not until the 1969 ANA Convention in Philadelphia that the first "official" BHNC club meeting took place with 9 members in attendance.

Out of necessity, certain club positions have evolved during the ensuing years; a Club Manager, Treasurer, Census Keeper, Newsletter Editor.

Unlike most clubs or organizations whose only requirement is to pay the dues and you are automatically in, BHNC is more selective. Certain requirements have been established before acceptance of a potential new member.

1807 Overton 111a - MDS of the "Bearded Goddess"
(Image courtesy of Mark Goodman)