Connecticut Tercentenary half dollar
The Connecticut Tercentenary half dollar was struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1935. The coin was designed by Henry Kreis and commemorates the 300th anniversary of the founding of Connecticut. The Philadelphia Mint initially coined 15,000 pieces, but when they quickly sold, the Connecticut commission ordered the 10,000 remaining in the authorization. These were soon exhausted as well.
About Connecticut Tercentenary half dollar in brief
The Connecticut Tercentenary half dollar was struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1935. The coin was designed by Henry Kreis and commemorates the 300th anniversary of the founding of Connecticut. Its obverse depicts the Charter Oak, where according to legend Connecticut’s charter was hidden to save it from being confiscated by the English governor-general. An eagle appears on the coin’s reverse side. A bill passed through Congress without dissent and became law on June 21, 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it, providing for 25,000 half dollars. The coins sold for USD 1, but have gained in value over the years and sell in the hundreds of dollars, depending on condition. The Philadelphia Mint initially coined 15,000 pieces, but when they quickly sold, the Connecticut commission ordered the 10,000 remaining in the authorization. These were soon exhausted as well. In 1935, it was not the practice of the government to sell commemorative coins. Congress, during the early years of commemorative coinage, usually designated a specific organization allowed to buy them at face value and to sell them to the public at a premium.
In the case of the Connecticut Ter centennial half dollar, the enabling legislation specified that the proceeds were to go towards financing the commission’s projects. The design was a Public Works Administration project and technically in violation of the new law, which said the federal government was not to pay for its design. The commission hired a sculptor to do the work, generally supervised by Paul Manship, and it was generally praised by numismatic writers. The bill was considered by the House of Representatives on May 21, 1934. It was referred to the Senate on June 1, 1934, with a recommendation that it pass, and on June 13, it did so, without any recorded debate or questions. The Connecticut Ter Centenary Commission wanted a half dollar issued, with proceeds from its sale to further its projects, and a bill was passed, and the coin was struck on June 20, 1935. It has been described as a “milestone in the history of the state of Connecticut” and is considered one of the most significant coins of the 20th century. The U.S. Bureau of Coinage, Weights, and Measures, which issued the coin, is now based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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This page is based on the article Connecticut Tercentenary half dollar published in Wikipedia (as of Oct. 31, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
