½ Dollar Iowa Centennial
1946 year| Silver (.900) | 12.5 g | 30.6 mm |
| Issuer | United States |
|---|---|
| Period | Federal republic (1776-date) |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
| Year | 1946 |
| Value | ½ Dollar = 50 Cents (½ USD) |
| Currency | Dollar (1785-date) |
| Composition | Silver (.900) |
| Weight | 12.5 g |
| Diameter | 30.6 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#18229 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 47% |
Reverse
A building with the American motto above and the denomination below, with the country name around the rim
Script: Latin
Lettering:
IOWA STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL 1846-1946
OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZE
OUR RIGHTS WE WILL MAINTAIN
AND
E PLURIBUS UNUM
Translation:
Iowa Statehood Centennial 1846-1946
Our Liberties we Prize
Our Rights We Will Maintain
And
Out of Many, One
Engraver: Adam Pietz
Edge
Reeded
Comment
After a period of dormancy for commemorative coins, the Iowa Centennial Half Dollar was produced and issued in 1946 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Iowa’s statehood.
Abuses of the commemorative coin program had come to the forefront after a Congressional hearing held on April 15, 1937. There were complaints about some programs which had ordered coins from several different mints over several years to create additional varieties and complaints the curious distribution of some program which resulted in few if any coins being sold to the public at issue prices. As a result of the hearings, 81 bills proposing commemorative coins were buried and authority was revoked to produce additional coins for existing programs.
The issuance of commemorative coins was reconsidered following a change in administration. The 1946 Iowa Centennial Half Dollar was authorized on August 7, 1946, with a maximum mintage of 100,000 pieces.
The coins were distributed by the Iowa Centennial Committee for $2.50 to state residents and $3 to others. The entire authorized mintage sold out, with more than 90,000 distributed to residents. An amount of 500 pieces was set aside for distribution in 1996, and 500 more pieces for distribution in 2046. In 1996, the coins were offered for $500 each in special holders. Sales were slow since the offering price was far above the market price for uncirculated pieces.
Authorization: Public Law 79-612
Interesting fact
The Iowa Centennial half dollar, minted in 1946, was the first commemorative coin to feature a living person, Grant Wood, the artist who designed the coin's reverse side.
Price
| Date | Mintage | VG | F | VF | XF | AU | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 100057 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for ½ Dollar (Iowa Centennial) 1946 coin.
