Like other early copper coins, the Braided Hair Half Cents were struck on planchets of pure copper. The standard weight for the denomination was 5.44 grams or 84 grains. The diameter of the pieces measures 23 mm, with the coins having a plain edge.
The coins were struck in proof-only format for the years 1840 to 1849 and 1852. Circulation strikes were made for the years 1849 to 1851 and 1853 to 1857. As all minor coinage produced during this period, all coins of the series were struck at the Philadelphia Mint and do not contain a mint mark.
