United States 1936 half dollar KM-181

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US 1936 50C Gettysburg a1.jpg

Authorization

The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg took place July 1-3, 1938. To recognize this important date, the Blue and Gray Reunion was planned, honoring the few dozen surviving participants of that great engagement. Bringing together members of the Grand Army of the Republic and the United Confederate Veterans, this was a solemn yet congenial gathering of old men who would relive in words what was almost certainly the greatest single event of their lives. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, which remains lit to the present day.

As a souvenir of the occasion, and perhaps to assist in the funding of this event, the Pennsylvania State Commission sought to have a commemorative coin issued. Legislation passed on June 16, 1936 called for the minting of not more than 50,000 half dollars to be coined at a single mint and of a single design. Paul L. Roy, executive secretary of the Commission, hoped that this law could eventually be amended to provide for a three-mint set, but this scheme was steadfastly rejected by Congress, which by then was growing weary of commemorative coins

Obverse

Philadelphia sculptor Frank Vittor's obverse design portrays conjoined busts of Union and Confederate veterans in uniform facing right. Above are the mottoes LIBERTY and E•PLURIBUS•UNUM. Arranged in arcs around the periphery are the legends UNITED• STATES•OF•AMERICA and BLUE•AND• GRAY• REUNION, separated by stars. A source of amusement to collectors and numismatic writers - the Union and Confederate veterans depicted on this half dollar are virtual twins. Giving Vittor the benefit of the doubt, some commentators have remarked that this may have been intentional, as it reinforces the Civil War theme of brother against brother.

Reverse

The reverse is dominated by Union and Confederate shields, separated from one another by a fasces. Wrapped around these elements are branches of oak and olive, perhaps symbolizing war and peace. The date 1936 appears below; this was specified in the enabling act, though it has no other relevance to this coin. Below the date is the value •HALF•DOLLAR•, while above the shields is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, separated by the blades of the fasces. Around the periphery are the inscriptions 75TH•ANNIVERSARY and BATTLE•OF•GETTYSBURG and the dates 1863 and 1938, all separated by stars. The artist's initials are not included.

Mintage

The Gettysburg half dollars were sold at $1.65 apiece by the Pennsylvania State Commission during the latter months of 1937 and continuing through the Blue and Gray Reunion of July, 1938. Shortly afterward, the unsold balance of the coins was turned over to the American Legion - Department of Pennsylvania to fulfill any subsequent orders. In an attempt to make the coins seem rare and more desirable, the price was raised to $2.65. By this time, however, the mania for commemoratives had long passed, and the coins proved difficult to sell. Within a few years, the unsold remainder of 23,100 pieces was returned to the Philadelphia Mint for melting, leaving a net mintage of 26,900 coins.

Specification: 192.9 grains = 12.50 grams, 0.900 fine silver, 30.6 mm diameter, reeded edge.

Catalog reference: KM 181.

Source:

  • 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.

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