Classic And Modern BU Lost And First

Both great designs.

I should collect the BU modern commemorative dollars but the eye appeal of the proof really take me so my set is virtually all proofs. I particularly like buffalo designs.

Great coins yotie ... thanks for sharing the photos!

I am not as familiar with the modern commemorative ... but have truly enjoyed the recent posts on the lovely coins ... including yours shown here.

Your Roanoke Island Half is a great coin ... and the source of fun trivia question ... "Which US commemorative coins were minted to celebrate an Island?" The answer being, of course, your coin and the 1936 Long Island Half.

Net distribution of 29,030 coins .... interesting fact is that the authorizing legislation stated that a minimum of 25,000 coins be struck ... but placed no upper cap on the potential mintage.

Given the abuses going on with the commemorative series in 1936, coupled with the lax legislation, it is amazing that we did not end up with a gazillion of these coins. Nonetheless, 21,000 of the original mintage were unsold and returned for melting.

David

LOL ... indeed ... I've often wondered about that detail on the obverse ... sure looks like an earring to me as well. In all my research I have never found a reference to tell me for sure what that detail is.

Not trying to bore anyone ... but a few more interesting tidbits about this particular coin ...

Sir Walter Raleigh as depicted on the obverse did not spell his last name that way ... the depiction on this coin is the "American" version as required by the authorizing legislation and the Commission of Fine Arts ... the official body that approved coinage design at the time.

The Baltimore MD sculptor of this coin ... William Marks Simpson (you can see his initials below the obverse bust truncation) ... originally spelled the name as Ralegh ... which based on historical records is the correct spelling.

The Commission of Fine Arts insisted on inserting the missing 'i' as this was the way the authorizing legislation was written ... so Mr. Simpson did so ... and today we have a coin with a name that the featured obverse subject never used.

Equally interesting is the reverse feature ... "The Birth of Virginia Dare" ...

Born on 08/18/1587 to Ananias and Ellinor Dare ... young Virginia was the first white child of European descent to be born in what is now the USA. The reverse of the coin depicts Ellinor holding Virginia as a baby.

Your lovely coin appears to be well preserved ... although the color is throwing me off ... need some work on lighting.

For grading comparison ... here is my PCGS MS66 CAC approved Roanoke Half ..



Geepers ... apologize for going on for so long on stuff that most do not care about ...

David

the Roanoke Half has been on my list of one of the coins I am going to add to the 70780 commemorative slots for awhile just for the fact that I am from NC. I was really wanting to do designs that had an eagle on them but this one will just have to be in there as well even though it doesn't have an eagle anywhere on it

No worries yotie ... I was not in any way trying to be critical. Apologize if you took my comment as a criticism.

I enjoy your photos ... I enjoy all photos.

Suggesting that you experiment with light balance and your camera settings ... you photos are crisp and in focus ... just need to work on the light.

David

Nice coins!