PCGS - The 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Half Dollar was struck to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Huguenots and Walloons settling America's "middle states." The Huguenots from France and the Walloons from what is now Belgium represented a large portion of the early settlers of New Netherland, or New York as it is known today. The island of Manhattan was purchased by Peter Minuit of the Dutch West India Company, who was a Walloon merchant from Wesel in northwest Germany. Many of the earliest New Netherlands settlers arrived in the New York area in 1624 aboard the Nieuw Netherland, which is depicted on the reverse.
The finest PCGS-graded 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Half Dollar is seen here in all of its resplendence, graded MS68+Interestingly, the figures featured on the obverse, William the Silent and Gaspard de Coligny, died decades before the voyage of the Nieuw Nederlandt. William the Silent and Gaspard de Coligny were both Protestant leaders of the Reformation and considered martyrs by Huguenots.
Steeped in colonial American history, the 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Half Dollar was authorized to have been struck in quantities of up to 300,000 pieces. However, the coin didn't prove to be as popular with the crowds as anticipated, with only 142,080 distributed. They were sold by the United States Mint for an issue price of $1, or $1.50 by mail. The coin is worth much more today, with values ranging more than $100 for examples in lightly circulated grades and significantly more in better Mint State grades.
A typical grade for a 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Half Dollar is MS63-65, with examples in MS66 scarce and those in MS67 (or higher) very rare. Mint State examples typically exhibit a good strike and satiny luster, with many pieces displaying toning. As with any other coin, eye appeal is a key consideration whenever buying a specimen! For perspective, the highest-graded examples and total populations (as of May 2024) are, respectively, as follows: MS67/67+, 82/24; MS68/68+, 6/1.
Regardless of grade, this coin is a fantastic addition to any collection and is necessary for completing the 50- or 144-coin U.S. classic commemorative PCGS Registry Sets. And when it comes right down to it, the 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Half Dollar is a historic and beautiful coin that is both relatively affordable and widely available.
Huguenot-Walloon Half Dollar History and Facts
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Posted 05/28/2024 11:46 pm
