½ Dollar Columbia Sesquicentennial

Reverse

A palmetto tree surrounded by 13 stars

Script: Latin

Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
HALF DOLLAR
E-PLURIBUS-UNUM
IN GOD WE TRUST

Engraver: Abraham Wolfe Davidson

Comment

The city of Columbia was founded in 1786 in central South Carolina. This site was chosen as a deliberate alternative to the previous capital at Charleston, which was considered vulnerable to assault from the sea. In celebration of the city’s 150th anniversary in 1936, the Columbia Sesquicentennial Commission sought to strike commemorative coins. The Act of March 18th, 1936 authorized the striking of up to 25,000 half dollars at “the mints;” verbiage which allowed for 3-coin sets to be issued.

Davidson’s obverse design features a standing, facing figure of Justice, flanked at left by the Old State House of 1790 and at right by the New State House built between 1855 and 1907. Below these in small numerals are the dates 1786 and 1936, respectively. Also in small letters, the motto LIBERTY appears above the Old State House. Arranged in arcs around the periphery, within an inner and outer border, are the inscriptions SESQUI CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE CAPITAL and COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA.

The reverse of the Columbia half is dominated by the state’s symbol, the palmetto tree. Below it is a broken limb of oak, meant to symbolize the victory of South Carolina’s native palmetto (which formed the walls of Fort Moultrie in Charleston) over the oaken timbers of King George’s ships. Arranged in arc form within an inner border are 13 stars, indicating that South Carolina was among the original 13 colonies and states. Above the tree is E PLURIBUS UNUM, to its right IN GOD WE TRUST, both mottos required by law. The legends UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and HALF DOLLAR are arranged peripherally between the inner and outer borders.

Source: NGC Coin

Interesting fact

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
1936	9007	-	-	-	-	-	-
1936 D	8009	-	-	-	-	-	-
1936 S	8007	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for ½ Dollar (Columbia Sesquicentennial) 1936 coin.