Half Cents- Where are they all? Metal Detecting thread.....

Okay, so I've been metal detecting since the year 2000 off and on. Mostly weekends. Now I've found many KG's (King George Half pennies) and large cents but never a US half cent. Does anyone know why?? I certainly don't despite seeing metal detecting videos of guys/gals finding them from time to time. With just under 8 million (correct me if wrong) Half cents coins minted, you think that I'd find one by now, no? Watch, I'll go out this weekend and find one, LOL.
Thanks for reading and please comment. Your contribution is valued.
Half cent (United States coin) - Wikipedia

 

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Best wishes for finding a Half Cent Sal!

 

Take a normal Large Cent and cut it in half...
There's your Half Cent

The other coin that is hard to detect is the 2 Cent coin. I have miraculously detected 2 of them over the years

 

I really don't think half cents circulated that well. I've never found one, but my brother found one draped bust half cent.

 

I wonder if it's a regional thing, maybe certain coins circulated more in some areas than in others. I've actually found quite a number of two cent pieces, all dated between 1864 and 1866, my brother has found several as well. Three cent nickels have eluded me though, I have found 2 three cent silvers.

 

Found 3 of them on one day out detecting. All 1864 Large Motto. Total count: 6.
Got one 1856 3 cent silver.

 

I think you are doing your metal detecting in England, right? If so the answer is U.S. half cents circulated very poorly in the United States. This was especially true for the “second generation” pieces which were issued from 1825 to 1857. It’s rare to see those pieces in grades lower than VF-30. Therefore people coming from the U.S. would not have brought very many of those coins with them.

The first generation half cents from 1793 to 1811 saw a lot more use. They are frequently seen well worn, but the mintages were not large. At any rate a half cent had little buying power in the U.S. why carry them when you went abroad?

Finally there is the deterioration factor. Copper corrodes much faster in the ground than gold and silver.

 

Here's one I found detecting about 20 years ago in Illinois. It was found at a farm house built in 1855.

 

@SensibleSal66 is located in Connecticut. So he's likely detecting in NEW England. Not anywhere in the King's realm.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Sal