Gettysburg Commemorative Half Dollar (1936)The 1936 Battle of Gettysburg Half Dollar was issued to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the pivotal battle of the American Civil War. The issue has become one of the more popular amongst the early commemorative coins. Designed by Frank Vittor, the design for the coin is sometimes described as medallic in appearance. This effect is created by the outer ring containing inscriptions and the exaggerated basining of the fields. Similar to the Delaware Half Dollar, the Gettysburg Half Dollar is associated with a somewhat confusing array of dates. The coins are issued to celebrate an anniversary that occurs in 1938, however, they were issued in 1937, and dated 1936.The maximum authorized mintage for the Battle of Gettysburg Half Dollar was 50,000 pieces to be struck at a single mint. The entire number was struck at the Philadelphia Mint and distributed by the Pennsylvania State Commission at a price of $1.65 per coin. In 1938, an unsold quantity of coins was turned over to the American Legion Department of Pennsylvania, who sold the coins for $2.65 each. Eventually, an unsold quantity of 23,100 pieces was returned to the mint for melting.
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