In January 1937, the Philadelphia Mint struck 25,000 Roanoke Colony Memorial Half Dollars (plus 15 coins for assay). Their immediate availability was announced by the Roanoke Colony Memorial Association ("Association") in February 1937 (e.g., a notice in the February 28, 1937 edition of the
Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester, New York); the Association had been accepting orders for the coin for months.
Instead of photographic illustrations of the coin's obverse and reverse, the newspaper used line art drawings of the coin's designs.
1937 Roanoke Colony Memorial Half Dollar - Designs Line Art
Note: These Roanoke Colony Memorial Half Dollar illustrations had previously appeared in 1936's Mint Record and Type Table
volume arranged by C. E. Green. Read more here: A Quick Look At Green's "Mint Record and Type Table"The obverse of the coin was accurately described as "the bust of Sir Walter Raleigh facing left," but the description of the reverse was far more generic and not as accurate (IMO): "the figure of a mother and her child garbed in costumes similar to those worn by the first Roanoke Island settlers." It was known at the time that the "mother" figure was Eilinor (modern: Eleanor) Dare and "her child" was Virginia. I find it curious that a generic description was used when accurate details were known. Also, I think use of the term "costumes" was a poor choice of words - I don't think the early settlers considered what they regularly wore to be a costume!
Interested collectors and other souvenir seekers were directed to order from the Roanoke Colony Memorial Association at its Manteo, Roanoke Island address.
1937 Roanoke Colony Memorial Half Dollar
For more of my stories about commemorative coins and medals, including other stories about the Roanoke half dollar, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 10/04/2024 10:28 am
