Oregon Trail Memorial half dollar
Encyclopedia
The Oregon Trail half dollar commemorative coin was minted to honor the migration of settlers to the west prior to the California Gold Rush
, which began in 1849. In 1926, the Oregon Trail
Memorial Association, Inc., whose president was the pioneer Ezra Meeker
, petitioned the United States Congress
to authorize a half dollar
coin
to "commemorate the heroism of our fathers and mothers who traversed the Oregon Trail to the far west with great hardship, daring, and loss of life, which not only resulted in adding new states to the Union
, but earned a well-deserved and imperishable fame for the pioneers." Congress passed the legislation on May 17, 1926 authorizing the minting of "no more than six million" coins.
The coin was designed by James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser. The obverse
depicts a Conestoga wagon
drawn by oxen heading into a setting sun. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST appears at the upper perimeter. Below the wagon it reads OREGON TRAIL MEMORIAL and the date. The designers' initials are behind the wagon. The reverse
depicts an Indian standing erect with an outstretched arm as if to say, "Stop." The Indian is superimposed on a map of the United States showing a line of Conestoga wagons heading West. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA borders the Indian on the left and right. HALF DOLLAR appears on the lower perimeter. This coin was minted from 1926-1939.
, Denver
, and San Francisco
. The 1933 issue marked the first striking of a US commemorative
at the Denver Mint. The mint mark
for the Denver (D) and San Francisco (S) issues appears on the reverse (back) to the right of the F in HALF. The Philadelphia issues do not have a mint mark.
There was a total of 203,102 coins minted. Philadelphia minted 72,999 coins, Denver minted 33,031, and San Francisco minted 97,092. All of the strikes tend to be good, with the exception of the 1926 Philadelphia issue which usually shows a noticeable lack of detail in the Indian's hand.
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, which began in 1849. In 1926, the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
Memorial Association, Inc., whose president was the pioneer Ezra Meeker
Ezra Meeker
Ezra Meeker was an early pioneer who traveled the Oregon Trail by ox cart as a young man. Beginning in his 70s, he worked tirelessly to memorialize the trail, repeatedly retracing the trip of his youth...
, petitioned the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to authorize a half dollar
Half dollar (United States coin)
Half dollar coins have been produced nearly every year since the inception of the United States Mint in 1794. Sometimes referred to as the fifty-cent piece, the only U.S. coin that has been minted more consistently is the cent.-Circulation:...
coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
to "commemorate the heroism of our fathers and mothers who traversed the Oregon Trail to the far west with great hardship, daring, and loss of life, which not only resulted in adding new states to the Union
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but earned a well-deserved and imperishable fame for the pioneers." Congress passed the legislation on May 17, 1926 authorizing the minting of "no more than six million" coins.
The coin was designed by James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser. The obverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
depicts a Conestoga wagon
Conestoga wagon
The Conestoga wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered wagon that was used extensively during the late 18th century and the 19th century in the United States and sometimes in Canada as well. It was large enough to transport loads up to 8 tons , and was drawn by horses, mules or oxen...
drawn by oxen heading into a setting sun. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST appears at the upper perimeter. Below the wagon it reads OREGON TRAIL MEMORIAL and the date. The designers' initials are behind the wagon. The reverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
depicts an Indian standing erect with an outstretched arm as if to say, "Stop." The Indian is superimposed on a map of the United States showing a line of Conestoga wagons heading West. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA borders the Indian on the left and right. HALF DOLLAR appears on the lower perimeter. This coin was minted from 1926-1939.
Mints
The Oregon Trail Commemorative Half Dollar was minted in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Mint
The Philadelphia Mint was created from the need to establish a national identity and the needs of commerce in the United States. This led the Founding Fathers of the United States to make an establishment of a continental national mint a main priority after the ratification of the Constitution of...
, Denver
Denver Mint
The Denver Mint is a branch of the United States Mint that struck its first coins on February 1, 1906. The mint is still operating and producing coins for circulation, as well as mint sets and commemorative coins. Coins produced at the Denver Mint bear a D mint mark...
, and San Francisco
San Francisco Mint
The San Francisco Mint is a branch of the United States Mint, and was opened in 1854 to serve the gold mines of the California Gold Rush. It quickly outgrew its first building and moved into a new one in 1874. This building, the Old United States Mint, also known affectionately as The Granite Lady,...
. The 1933 issue marked the first striking of a US commemorative
United States commemorative coin
Commemorative coinage of the United States consists of coins that have been minted to commemorate a particular person, place, event, or institution. They are legal tender but are not intended for general circulation....
at the Denver Mint. The mint mark
Mint mark
A mint mark is an inscription on a coin indicating the mint where the coin was produced.-History:Mint marks were first developed to locate a problem. If a coin was underweight, or overweight, the mint mark would immediately tell where the coin was minted, and the problem could be located and fixed...
for the Denver (D) and San Francisco (S) issues appears on the reverse (back) to the right of the F in HALF. The Philadelphia issues do not have a mint mark.
There was a total of 203,102 coins minted. Philadelphia minted 72,999 coins, Denver minted 33,031, and San Francisco minted 97,092. All of the strikes tend to be good, with the exception of the 1926 Philadelphia issue which usually shows a noticeable lack of detail in the Indian's hand.
| Date | Mint Mark | Mint | Mintage |
| 1926 | None | Philadelphia | 47,955 |
| 1926 | S | San Francisco | 83,055 |
| 1928 | None | Philadelphia | 6,028 |
| 1933 | D | Denver | 5,008 |
| 1934 | D | Denver | 7,006 |
| 1936 | None | Philadelphia | 10,006 |
| 1936 | S | San Francisco | 5,006 |
| 1937 | D | Denver | 12,008 |
| 1938 | None | Philadelphia | 6,006 |
| 1938 | D | Denver | 6,005 |
| 1938 | S | San Francisco | 6,006 |
| 1939 | None | Philadelphia | 3,004 |
| 1939 | D | Denver | 3,004 |
| 1939 | S | San Francisco | 3,005 |