Celebrating 150 Years of Columbia’s State Capital Designation
The city of Columbia, South Carolina, planned to celebrate the sesquicentennial of Columbia’s designation as the state capital in 1936. The legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in June 1935. The catalyst for this legislation was the Columbia Sesqui-Centennial Commission. The bill originally requested only 10,000 coins to be struck, but it was amended to require a minimum of 25,000 coins at all three mints. The legislation was passed by both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The Commission selected Abraham Wolfe Davidson, a student at Clemson College in South Carolina. He created plaster models that were sent to the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the U.S. Treasury. They were soundly rejected by both. The CFA commented that Davidson’s models were “unsatisfactory”, but the Columbia Sesqui-Centennial Commission was unmoved. They wanted Davidson to design their coin. Two months later, and after several revisions, the models were approved.
Design Details
Davidson’s obverse design featured an allegorical representation of Justice, bearing a sword in one hand and a pair of legal scales in the other, as the central vignette. Behind her, to the viewer’s left and right, were the Old State House, which served as the State Capitol in 1786, and the new State Capitol, which was the Capitol in 1936. The word “LIBERTY” is on her right shoulder, and around the periphery was “SESQUI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE CAPITAL – COLUMBIA – SOUTH CAROLINA”.
The reverse has the South Carolina symbol, the Palmetto Tree, as the central vignette. Above the tree is “E PLURIBUS UNUM”, and above that is an arc of 13 five-pointed stars. To the right of the tree is “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The periphery had “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and the denomination “HALF DOLLAR” around it.
Distribution Details
The Sesqui-Centennial celebrations took place on their anniversary date in March 1936. But no Columbia, South Carolina Sesquicentennial Half Dollars have been struck yet. In fact, the coins were not struck until the end of September. There were 9,007 coins struck at Philadelphia, 8,009 coins were struck in Denver, and 8,007 coins were struck at San Francisco, fulfilling the 25,000 coins required, and the extra coins were struck for Assay.
The coins were not immediately sold. To be fair to collectors of the day, the Commission opened sales via the mail. Orders for single coins were accepted and filled first to ensure the widest possible distribution. Orders for a single P-D-S set were filled next, followed by orders for multiple sets. However, the entire issue was oversubscribed by 15,000 coins. But now, in 1937, no additional coins could be struck. Orders for single coins or 3-coin PDS sets were shipped in imprinted cardboard holders.
As a ceremonial courtesy, a PDS set was sent to President Roosevelt in 1937, and six PDS sets were placed in a time capsule to be opened in 1986 (which it was). Add this coin and other U.S. classic silver commemorative coins to your collection today.
