Numismatic

1937 Roanoke Island Half Dollar BU

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Struck in 1937, this United States silver half dollar commemorates a major milestone in early American history: the 350th anniversary of the Roanoke Island colony in North Carolina. With a total mintage of just 50,030 pieces, this sovereign coin is backed by the United States government and contains 0.3617 troy ounces of silver, minted with a purity of 90 percent. The obverse features a detailed portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh, the English explorer who sponsored the early attempts to settle the region. Legible inscriptions on this side include the name of Raleigh alongside the traditional national mottoes of Liberty and In God We Trust. The reverse design depicts Ellinor Dare holding her infant child, Virginia Dare, who was the first child of English parentage born in the Americas. The dual dates of 1587 and 1937 are present on the coin, linking the year of the colony's founding with the year of the coin's manufacture. This Brilliant Uncirculated issue offers a fascinating look at how early American colonial history was celebrated during the late 1930s.