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Commemorative Silver Coin
L
OVELY
1900 L
AFAYETTE
D
OLLAR
1407
1900 Lafayette Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-65 PQ.
CAC Approved
. Lovely light golden toning. Only 36,026 minted. Bold, rolling-fresh fin-
ish, as frosty as when first issued. Difficult to find a Lafayette Dollar so nice. Next a word about the strike. The pressure transmitted from the
die to the blank reveals itself in sharp portraits of the two men, as well as on the seated horseman from the equestrian statue of Lafayette in
Paris.
America's first Commemorative Silver Dollar, the designs were by Charles E. Barber after an engraving of Houdon's bust of Washington. On
the reverse, Barber depicted the Lafayette equestrian statue at the Paris Exposition of 1900. Lafayette Dollars were sold to defray part of the
cost of completing Paul Wayland Bartlett's statue of the French General, then under construction in Paris for display at the exposition. Out of
an authorization for 50,000 pieces, 36,000 were sold, the remainder being melted.
The Lafayette silver dollar was minted in one day, December 14, 1899, at the Philadelphia Mint, this being the 100th anniversary of the death
of George Washington. When queried about prestriking the coins, for it was not yet 1900, the date on the coin, the Mint took the position that
the date did not represent the striking at all but, simply, observed the year that the Paris Exposition was held, this being noted on the reverse.
By this logic the present coin is dateless. Such little sidelights are interesting in the collecting of the series.
The 1900 Lafayette dollar is very unusual, indeed unique among coinage of its era, for the dies were made by hand. The motifs were
impressed on the obverse and reverse, and then by use of hand punches the dates and numerals were added around the border -- in the old-
style process generally in use in the 1830s and before, but long obsolete by 1899. The reason for doing this is not clear today. Probably it was
one of expediency. A number of die pairs were needed, and quickly, since the normal hubbing and master die process was bypassed. Accord-
ingly, this is the only commemorative coin that can be collected today by die variety!
Pop 273; 98 finer
. (
PCGS # 9222
)
Estimated Value ............................................................................................................................................................... $6,000 - 7,000
1408
1918 Illinois Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-64
. A nice
frosty coin. (
PCGS # 9320
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $130 - 140
1409
1918 Illinois Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-64
. Lightly
toned here and there. Housed in an Old Green Holder. (
PCGS #
9320
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $130 - 140
1410
1920 Maine Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-66.
CAC
Approved
.
PQ.
Nicely toned. Close to superb condition, and
very frosty. Only 50,028 struck.
Pop 400; 53 finer, 19 in
66+, 32 in 67, 2 in 67+.
(
PCGS # 9326
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $450 - 500
1411
1920 Maine Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-63
. Housed in
an Old Green Holder. Toned. (
PCGS # 9326
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $110 - 120
1412
1921 Pilgrim Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-64+ PQ
. Beau-
tiful toning on both sides. A frosty, well struck specimen.
Scarcer of the two Pilgrim dates: Net mintage included 152,000
dated 1920 and 20,000 dated 1921. (
PCGS # 9360
)
Estimated Value .......................................................$250-UP
1413
1921 Pilgrim Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-65
. Nice deep
old time toning atop smooth and frosted luster. The 1921 Pil-
grims, in particular, are very well struck, tending to be carefully
preserved, unlike the much more plentiful 1920 date, many of
which ended up being placed into circulation. A beautiful Gem
specimen. (
PCGS # 9360
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $250 - 275
1414
1922 Grant Half Dollar, no star
.
PCGS graded MS-64.
CAC Approved
.
PQ.
Lovely natural toning. Only 67,405 struck.
(
PCGS # 9306
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $275 - 300
1415
1923 Monroe Doctrine Half Dollar
.
PCGS graded MS-64
PQ.
CAC Approved
. Frosty with a light tone. (
PCGS # 9333
)
Estimated Value ................................................... $140 - 150
