Sesquicentennial of American Independence – 1926

The 1926 United States Sesquicentennial Expo

The nation’s sesquicentennial was going to be celebrated in 1926 in the city that served as the first American capital – Philadelphia. The United States National Sesquicentennial Exhibition Commission was organized to plan, maintain and run the Sesquicentennial Exposition in that city. The Act of March 3, 1925, chartered the Commission and one million commemorative half dollars and two hundred thousand $2.50 gold quarter eagles to be struck to defray the costs of the Exposition. 

The Mint’s Chief Engraver, John R. Sinnock, and the Commission could not agree on any of Sinnock’s designs so they asked Philadelphia attorney and numismatist, John Frederick Lewis, to submit some sketches. The sketches were adapted to meet the coin requirements by Sinnock without any credit going to Lewis for more than 40 years.

The design of the obverse of the half dollar depicted conjoined busts of President George Washington and current President Calvin Coolidge, making Coolidge the first president to have his likeness on a coin while in office and still within his lifetime. The busts faced right and “LIBERTY” was displayed above the busts and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” was below them and “IN GOD WE TRUST” was beneath Coolidge’s chin. 

The central vignette on the reverse was the Liberty Bell. The periphery of the coin carried the mottoes “SESQUICENTENNIAL OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE – HALF DOLLAR” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” above the bell. On the left side of the bell was the date “1776” and on the right was “1926”.

The gold quarter eagle was the entire of Sinnock’s design. The coin depicts a full figure of Miss Liberty, facing left, holding the Torch of Freedom in one hand and a scroll of the Declaration of Independence in the other. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” is above Miss Liberty and “LIBERTY” is below. The date “1776” is to the left of Miss Liberty and “1926” is to the right.

The reverse of the quarter eagle depicts Independence Hall in Philadelphia with the sun rising behind it, as the central design, with “SESQUICENTENNIAL OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE” around and the denomination “2 ½ DOLLARS” at the bottom. Under Independence Hall is “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and “IN GOD WE TRUST” is separated by the tower of Independence Hall.

The first Half Dollar, struck at the Exposition, was presented to President Coolidge when he visited the Expo. Ambitiously, over one million of the Half Dollar coins were struck, but only 141,120 were actually sold and distributed with the rest having been melted. The full allotment of over two hundred thousand Gold Eagles was also struck with 46,019 having been sold and distributed. 

Coins sold at the Exposition were distributed through the Commission while mail requests were handled by the Franklin Trust Company. The Half Dollar was priced at $1.00 as were prior Commemorative Half dollars. The Gold Quarter Eagle was priced at $4.00, so $5.00 for both coins was a week’s pay for most visitors to the Exposition.

At the request of the Commission, the coins were struck in low relief so that they could be struck quickly and without complaint from bankers or merchants, about not stacking properly. While the low relief satisfied those needs, it did not make for a beautiful coin. Finding a well-struck coin today, especially the Half Dollar is a remarkable feat.

Expand your collection today and shop for a 1926 Sesquicentennial American Independence Half Dollar.