Silver Commemorative Coins
In 1892, the United States Mint produced and issued a commemorative half dollar for the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. The coins served to mark the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus. In the following years, many other commemoratives would be issued to honor important people, places, and events of the United States of America.
The series of early commemorative coins were issued between the years 1892 and 1954 inclusive. There were 52 different designs struck in silver, with the predominant denomination being the half dollar. In the initial years, there was one quarter dollar and one silver dollar also issued. Sporadically, there were also issues struck in gold across various denominations.
Collecting silver commemoratives can be an excellent way to experience some of the history of America. The anniversary of many states and cities were marked with the issuance of coins from Delaware to California. Widely varied people from history such as Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, P.T. Barnum, and George Washington Carver appear on the coins. Events such as American Independence, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the expansion of the country via the Oregon Trail are depicted.
Many coins feature the work of some of the leading artists and sculptors of the day. Some designers of circulating coins such as Charles Barber, George T. Morgan, and James Earle Fraser designed commemorative coins. Certain designs are highly artistic or indicative of the styles at the time of issue.
Assembling a complete collection of silver commemoratives can be a rewarding and challenging experience. Besides the history and diversity offered by the designs, some issues have extremely low mintages or wide distribution that makes the coins scarce for present day collectors. This site will help you build your collection by providing additional information and presenting a selection of coins available for sale.