Commems Collection Classic: 1926-39 Oregon Trail Memorial - Assembling A History-Based Type Set

The Oregon Trail Memorial Half Dollar is unquestionably one of the most popular coins of the classic series of US commemorative coins. A good deal of its popularity is derived from the attractiveness of its design, courtesy of the husband and wife team of James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser. The coin's designs have led a good number of collectors to pursue a complete date and mint mark set of the Oregon - a set comprised of 14 individual coins.

I certainly appreciate the beauty of the coin, but date and mint mark set collecting is not something I enjoy. From time to time, however, I have pondered going beyond my Oregon Trail Type coin - a first-year-of-issue 1926 - to add an example from each of the years that the Oregon Trail Memorial Association (and Scott Stamp & Coin Co. of New York ("Scott"), the coin's official coin dealer distributor from 1933 through 1936) promoted as having a historical anniversary connection. Building such a set would require the acquisition of five coins (vs. 14).

1. 1926: The initial coins of 1926 were referred to as the "Ezra Meeker" coins (such designation in 1933 was retroactive). Meeker (1830-1928) was the primary driver behind the memorial coins and the leading proponent of preserving and marking the original Oregon Trail. He was also the first President of the Oregon Trail Memorial Association.

Coin for Type: Two choices - 1926 (P) or 1926-S

2. 1928: Another retroactive designation made in 1933, the 1928 issue was referred to as the "Jedediah Smith" coin. Smith (1799-1831) was a hunter/trapper and explorer. In 1828, he led an expedition from Northern California into Oregon and is remembered for his "Master Map" of the area.

Coin for Type: One choice - 1928 (P)

3. 1933: The 1933 issue from Denver was termed the "Century of Progress" coin. The coins were sold at the Century of Progress International Exposition (CPIE) in Chicago in 1933 and 1934.

Coin for Type: One choice - 1933-D

4. 1934: The 1934 release from Denver was marketed as the "Fort Hall, Fort Laramie, Jason Lee Centennial" coin.

- Fort Hall was a trading post within present-day Idaho that became an important way station for those traveling over the Oregon Trail. It was established in 1834 by Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth who had traveled from Boston, Massachusetts.

- Fort Laramie was established as a trading post located in present-day Wyoming in 1834 by Milton Sublette and Robert Campbell. Its first version operated under the name Fort William; a new and improved fort was later built and operated as Fort John. It was a way station for tens of thousands of pioneers, etc. traversing the Oregon Trail. In 1849, Fort John was purchased by the US Army and renamed Fort Laramie. The Army expanded the fort and turned it into an important military garrison. Fort Laramie continued to also be an important post for those moving through the area until it was abandoned in 1890.

- Jason Lee (1803-1845) was a Protestant Christian minister/missionary who worked to bring Christianity to the Native Americans in the future Oregon; he also promoted settlement by Europeans in the area, especially the Williamette Valley. His settlement efforts helped lead to Oregon being annexed by the United States - he was not overly successful with his attempts to convert the local Native Americans.

Coin for Type: One choice - 1934-D

5. 1936: The 1936 issues, struck in Philadelphia and San Francisco, were termed the "Whitman Mission" coins. 1936 marked the 100th anniversary of the arrival of missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman in the Walla Walla Valley of present-day Washington and the establishment of their mission.

Coin for Type: Two choices - 1936 (P) or 1936-S


The 1937, 1938 and 1939 coin issues were distributed by the Memorial Associaton (vs. Scott's), and were not marketed as being in conjunction with a particular anniversary.

So, a five-piece set of Oregon Trail Memorial half dollars could be assembled as a history-inspired alternative to a single Type Coin or a full Date and Mint Mark Set of 14 coins.

1926 Oregon Trail Memorial Half Dollar



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other Oregon Trail stories, see: Commems Collection.


For more on the related 1936 Whitman Mission Centennial coin proposal:

- What If? 1936 Whitman Mission Centennial