# 814 - Early American Commemoratives - Part 26

Most of the info below comes from: https://earlycommemorativecoins.com/

"Commemorative coins were first issued by the United States Mint in 1892 to mark the World’s Columbian Exposition. The silver half dollars depicting Christopher Columbus were sold at the expedition for one dollar each. In subsequent years, the US Mint would continue the tradition of issuing gold and silver commemoratives to honor the important people, places, and events of the country.

Early commemorative coins were issued between the years 1892 and 1954 and have included primarily silver half dollars and gold dollars."

I will show the series "Silver Early Commemoratives". It will be presented in alphabetical order.

All coins weight 12.5g, with 90% silver purity.

The twenty-sixth is a MS66 1937 "Roanoke" Half Dollar.

"A silver commemorative coin was authorized to mark the 350th anniversary of the establishment of Roanoke Colony. This early attempt to establish a permanent English settlement in America became known as the Lost Colony when all of the inhabitants mysteriously vanished."

NGC graded 4,038 1937 "Roanoke" Half Dollars, with 1,073 as MS66 and 305 above. 15,010 1937 "Roanoke" were minted in Philadelphia.

Today's price of this coin is around $340.00.

"The coin was designed by William Marks Simpson.

The obverse features a profile portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh, who had been granted the charter for colonization by Queen Elizabeth I."

"On the reverse is an image of Ellinore Dare and her child Virginia Dare, who was the first child born in America to English parents. To each side are sailing ships and below is a pine branch."

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