Numismatic

1892-1893 Columbian Expo Silver Half Dollar Avg Circ

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This half dollar represents a historic milestone as the inaugural commemorative coin ever produced by the United States Mint. Minted in 90 percent silver, these pieces were created specifically to help fund the famous 1893 World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. The issue marks the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus embarking on his initial journey to the Americas. The coin's design features the work of two prominent artists who adapted initial concepts by Olin Warner. On the obverse, a profile portrait of Christopher Columbus is rendered by Charles Barber. The reverse, crafted by George T. Morgan, depicts his flagship, the Santa Maria, sailing above two stylized hemispheres of the globe. Surrounding inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, COLUMBIAN HALF DOLLAR, and WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION CHICAGO, alongside the key years of 1492 and 1893.