Numismatic

1946 Iowa Centennial Commemorative Half Dollar AU

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In 1946, the United States marked a century of Iowa's statehood with a special commemorative silver half dollar. Struck in 90% silver at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin contains 0.3617 troy ounces of precious metal. The total mintage reached 100,057 pieces, representing a focused celebration of Midwestern history. The obverse of the coin showcases the Old Stone Capitol building located in Iowa City, a structure of great importance in the state's early history. On the reverse, the design features the official seal of the State of Iowa. Legible inscriptions on the coin include references to the centennial years 1846 and 1946, the traditional mottoes "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM", as well as the denomination "HALF DOLLAR". This issue has an unusual distribution history. The coins were initially offered directly to residents of Iowa, with only a small leftover portion made available to the wider public. In a unique nod to the future, organizers set aside two specific groups of 500 coins, reserving one batch for distribution during the state's sesquicentennial in 1996, and holding the other batch back for release in the year 2046.