Some Of My Favorite Classic Silver Commemoratives. Please Also Share Yours!

Hokiefan,

To start off, WOW......

Who would not appreciate that Crisp struck Oregon Trail

Love the California jubilee's natural luster in that grade...

Then We get to a Very Strong struck Connecticut, Beautiful example, Always enjoyed the Outstanding reverse design, with the full Charter Oak Tree, ........

Now, The American Independence, You could Not of picked a Stronger example of Our Historic pasts, IMO.....

The Texas Half is another Choice example of our heritage, Exceptionally detailed design.

The " crisp struck " Gettysburg Half is and Has Always been One of My absolute favorites Too, As historic and finely designed goes, This half is Outstanding, ....

The Grant Half, Another absolute favorite, The reverse tree work designs are Very In-depth and life like, ...

Never much of a fan of the last Commemorative, Although You Obviously have a Winner, Awesome Rainbows of Colors, WOW.

Thanks for sharing what I believe are Exceptional Historic Examples of Our Well Deserving Commemoratives










As noted, You have set the stage for an Outstanding Artworks show from days gone bye. Your Posts have been Exciting to see, I Appreciate it, I am still drooling, Well Done....

I enjoyed your additions @commems. I also always enjoy seeing an old friend in your XF45 Roanoke example.

Following are some of the favorites in my dual MS and honestly circulated sets. These are by no means favorites to the exclusion of everything else - and if I did this tomorrow I'm likely to have selected a few different coins.

In no particular order:

1937 Battle of Antietam Anniversary Half Dollar PCGS MS67/CAC



This coin is arguably the most visually stunning in my MS set. Not only is it virtually flawless, it is so lustrous it literally glows across the room.

If I were the type of collector who engaged in the crack-out game this is an obvious candidate for MS68 at PCGS. I'm not that guy - so it remains a sunning MS67.

Adding to the Antietam appeal, I have visited the battlefield of numerous occasions.



This is the Burnside bridge today (well, a few years ago). I took the photo trying to mimic William Marks Simpson perspective as shown on the coin.

It's quite a humbling experience to walk the hallowed grounds where so many Americans died on September 17, 1862.

1936 Battle of Gettysburg Anniversary Half Dollar PCGS VG10



Chosen as a favorite not just because it's a civil war commemorative, but mainly due to the honestly worn and nicked up condition it has survived into.

To me, this worn and crusty coin evokes feelings of strength and resilience that surely must have been felt by the few survivors of the battle who lived to attend that 75th anniversary celebration.

1937-D Oregon Trail Memorial Half PCGS MS67+/CAC



To my aesthetic this is the best designed of all the classic silver commemoratives.

Laura's Indian chief with the hand out trying to stop the oncoming wagons in order to preserve his way of life contrasts perfectly with Jame's Conestoga wagon led by a sturdy settler heading west into the setting sun to begin a new future.

What's there not to like about this coin.

1926 Oregon Trail Memorial Half PCGS VG08



The design ages well, as seen on this honestly circulated first year of issue.

1935 Hudson Sesquicentennial Half Dollar PCGS MS66



I just enjoy viewing Chester Beach funky design on this coin. Where else are you going to see Neptune riding backwards on a whale, while a mermaid blows on a conch shell?

Then there is the subtle reference to Hudson's flagship Half Moon where Beach deploys his funky quarter moon with a bump on the crescent for the nose of the Man on the Moon.

To my eye the fantail of the ship is actually the continuation of the whale's tail from the other side of the coin.

It's simply too much fun for a US commemorative coin.

1936 Elgin (Illinois) Centennial Half Dollar PCGS G04



This is likely the rarest coin in my commemorative sets. Not only is it the PCGS Top Pop (Low Pop?) coin, but the Elgin half is one of the 5 'stoppers' to assembling a PCGS certified set of circulated classic silver commemoratives.

I wrote about the 'stoppers' during commems epic 2014 Days of Commemorative Coins thread. New readers can catch it here:

http://goccf.com/t/187113

But the real reason for this being on my favorites list is the pleasant memory of the collecting camaraderie by which I came to own the coin.

commems found it for me raw at one his local coin shows. Knowing of my interest in assembling a circulated set, commems texted me a photo and asked if I wanted him to purchase it on my behalf.

We settled up, I had the Elgin certified by PCGS and I remain grateful to commems for his valued assist.

1936 Bridgeport (CT) Centennial Half PCGS MS66



A favorite simply because of the amazing art-deco eagle that Henry Kreis designed for the coins reverse. IMO one of the greatest eagles to ever grace a USA coin.

@hokiefan shows above the quasi art-deco eagle that Kreis deployed on the 1935 Connecticut half. While I enjoy that eagle as well, I believe this is the better of the two.

1918 Illinois (Lincoln) Centennial Half PCGS MS66+



A favorite for similar reasons as the Antietam I showed above.

This is a visually stunning coin with an absolutely hammered strike on both sides. It glows from across a room and makes me smile every time I look at it.

I'll conclude with the following coin - but could go on.

1918 Illinois (Lincoln) Centennial Half PCGS AG03



A haunting image of Lincoln's profile, with the lowest point of relief (his eye) appearing as simply a dark hole. To me the coin in this state of preservation is evocative of how Lincoln's life ended.

This has been fun to share.

Tomorrow I would likely choose others.

David,

While drooling over the Prior posted pictures, I posted and Saw your Circulated Examples, I Too need time , WOW.....

You stated, Quote: " It glows from across a room and makes me smile every time I look at it. "

I too can Fully understand and Appreciate your Sentiments. Thanks for Sharing what is an Un-Folding All Star Cast above, It gets better Every Time I check back, Well Done .

Great examples, commems, thanks! I particularly like the Pan-Pac half and for the same reason you stated. And thank you very much, nickelsearcher, for not only the coins you shared but the very interesting commentary! Every time I see examples of some of your circulated commemoratives it always gets me thinking about starting a circulated set, but so far I've resisted the temptation...

Thank You,