Why Commemoratives are BIG news this year

Top 5 for 2015…

“Building Tomorrows: Inspiration and Innovation at World’s Fairs” is the theme for 2015’s National Coin Week which takes place April 19-25. The ANA’s (American Numismatic Association) coin week is designed to share the hobby of coin collecting. With this year’s theme focusing on world’s fairs, it handily ties into commemoratives and the 100^th anniversary of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.

First “S” Mint Commemoratives struck in 1915

This world’s fair celebrated the completion of the Panama Canal, the city’s recovery after the 1906 earthquake and produced some great commemoratives: the silver half dollar, $1, $2.50 and $50 gold pieces – all with the “S” San Francisco mint mark. I like Panama Pacific commemoratives because their designs are trendsetting, incorporate bold, yet simple letters, use flowing lines and they kept in step with the era’s changing times. Other highlights of the 1915 Panama Pacific coins are:

• The first commemoratives struck at a branch mint
• The silver half dollar is the first commemorative to bear the motto in god we trust.
• The massive $50 gold piece is the only official $50 U.S. commemorative and only one struck in both a round and octagonal shape.

U.S. commemorative coins are limited in nature – struck to mark anniversaries, events and other civic occasions. They literally offer dozens of ways to form a collection. One way is to mix and match coins from the silver classic series of 1892-1954 with the more modern issues struck since 1982. Here are my top classic commemoratives, and what I’d pair with them:

• 1892-93 World’s Columbian Exposition silver half dollar and quarter – I like this pair, because they are America’s first commemorative coins. Plus, the Isabella quarter was the only U.S. commemorative quarter for over a century, until the Statehood quarters arrived in 1999. These go nicely with the 1992 Christopher Columbus half and dollar.
• 1918 Illinois Centennial silver half dollar – Issued to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Illinois’ statehood, this half dollar features a beardless Lincoln! Think about that – most of the time photos, coins and paintings show him with a beard. This commemorative pairs perfectly with the 2009 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial silver dollar. It shows him with his beard – one he grew while running for president.
• 1935 Old Spanish Trail silver half dollar – Talk about Old West, cowboy appeal, this dual-dated silver 50¢ piece has it all! Struck to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca’s journey from Florida through Texas, the steer’s head (a pun on the explorer’s name) reminds me of the legendary cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Kansas. Round up some Morgan dollars or the 2001 Buffalo dollar to go with it.
• 1936 Bridgeport Centennial silver half dollar – Get a load of that big Art Deco eagle on the reverse – it’s so reminiscent of the era, cars and fashion! And, who doesn’t like the circus… P.T. Barnum, creator of “the greatest show on earth” and Bridgeport, CT’s most famous citizen gets top billing on the obverse. Pairing this one is tough… I’d have to go with Olympic coinage because the Olympics are a spectator sport, but you could look at foreign coins and collect some circus animals – elephants, tigers and zebras.

Collecting commemoratives is a lot of fun, and this year’s National Coin Week puts them in the hobby spotlight.