United States 1920 half dollar KM-146
Authorization
The Act of Congress of May 10, 1920 authorized 100,000 of these coins to be made for sale at the Maine Centennial Celebration in Portland.
Obverse
The obverse of the Maine Centennial half dollar features the state seal. An escutcheon bearing a moose and a pine tree is at center, with a farmer and a sailor to the left and right of it, respectively. The Latin motto DIRIGO (I direct) is on a scroll above, with a star above it. Below the escutcheon is a banner inscribed MAINE. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the value HALF DOLLAR are arranged in arcs around the periphery.
Reverse
The reverse is dominated by a wreath of pine branches. The words MAINE CENTENNIAL 1820-1920 are arranged within it. Above are the statutory legends E PLURIBUS UNUM and LIBERTY; below is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
Mintage
The Philadelphia Mint struck 50,028 Maine halves in the late summer of 1920 (the odd 28 were reserved for assay), but they arrived too late for purchase at the Centennial Celebration in Portland. Still, about half of the initial mintage was sold by the state treasurer before the end of the year. After that, sales slowed to the point where no further thought was given to coining the full authorization of 100,000. The coins remaining on hand were available until at least 1929, and all were eventually sold. This left a net mintage of 50,000 (the 28 assay coins were destroyed).
Specification: 0.900 fine silver, 192.9 grains (12.50 grams), Diameter: 30.61 mm (1.205 in), reeded edge. Net Weight: .36169 ounce ASW.
Catalog reference: KM 146.
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- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
- Slabaugh, Arlie R., United States Commemorative Coinage, 2nd Ed.," Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1975.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
- Harper, David C., ed., North American Coins & Prices: A Guide to U. S., Canadian and Mexican Coins, 17th Ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2007.
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