Classic commemorative half dollars

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Period

1892-1954

Issuing entity

United States

Series of United States commemorative half dollars authorised by individual acts of Congress for anniversaries, expositions and local events.

Historical context

The programme began with the Columbian Exposition issue and was suspended after widespread criticism of its commercial use.

Design

note
Designs vary by authorising act; no single common type.

Identification

note
Identification is by authorising event and year; mintage figures vary widely between issues.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.

Research required

  • Full issue list with mintages requires transcription from a printed reference.
  • Authorising act citations not yet recorded.
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