Numismatic

1938 Oregon Trail Memorial Half Dollar Commem Half BU

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The 1938 Oregon Trail Memorial Half Dollar represents a peak of artistic collaboration in United States coinage. This silver fifty-cent piece, struck with a purity of 0.900 silver, contains 0.3617 troy ounces of precious metal. It holds a special place in numismatic history as the longest-running commemorative coin program ever produced by the United States Mint. With a remarkably low mintage of just 6,006 pieces, this issue from 1938 is a particularly scarce survivor of the series. The coin features distinct designs on each side, created by a legendary husband-and-wife sculpting team. The obverse, designed by Laura Fraser, showcases a Native American figure standing tall in the foreground against a map of the United States. The reverse, designed by James Earle Fraser, depicts a classic pioneer scene with an ox-drawn covered wagon heading west toward a setting sun. Legible inscriptions on the coin include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, HALF DOLLAR, OREGON TRAIL MEMORIAL, and the date 1938.