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1934-1938 Texas Centennial Half Dollar

 
 1936 Texas Independence Obverse       1936 Texas Independence Reverse
 

Click the images above for enhanced view.

Purpose:

 

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Texas independence from Mexico and help defray the cost of the Texas Centennial Exposition.

 

Maximum Number Authorized: 1,500,000 pieces.

 

Sale Price: Initially $1.00 per coin and $6.00 for a three Mint set.

 

Designs:

 

    Obverse – Pompeo Coppini

A large eagle facing left, over a five-pointed star symbolic of the “Lone Star” state of Texas.

 

Online Resource:  http://www.watermelon-kid.com/places/FairPark/centennial/centennial_index.htm

  

   Reverse – Pompeo Coppini

A draped representation of the goddess Victory spreading her wings over the Alamo. A small portrait of Sam Houston appears in the left field and a portrait of Stephen F. Austin is found in the right field. Inside the border are the inscriptions “THE TEXAS INDEPENDENCE CENTENNIAL” and “REMEMBER THE ALAMO.” The six flags that have flown over Texas are located above Victory. The designer’s initials are located at the right base of the Alamo.

 

Online Resource: https://www.thealamo.org/ 

 

Popularity:

 

A total of 304,000 Texas Centennial half dollars were minted for sale to the public over the course of five years that they were produced. Only the 1935-D and 1935-S examples escaped the melting pot. An astounding total of 154,522 were returned to the Mint.

 

Texas Centennial Exposition Link:  https://texastimetravel.com/travel-themes/1936-texas-centennial 

 

Trivia: 

 

  • Sam Houston wore many hats during his lifetime. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas. He was elected to the United States Senate when Texas achieved statehood. Houston was also the sixth governor of Tennessee and the seventh governor of Texas. He is the only United States citizen to be elected governor of two different states.

  • In the course of its history, six flags have flown over the area of Texas. They include Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, The United States of America and the Confederate States of America.

  • The Big Show, a film starring Gene Autry, was filmed on location during the Centennial Exposition.

 

For more information:

 

Encyclopedia of the Commemorative Coins of the United States by Anthony J. Swiatek 

KWS Publishers (2012)

 

Commemorative Coins of the United States Identification and Price Guide by Anthony J. Swiatek

Amos Press Publishers (2001)

 

Eyewitness to the Alamo by Bill Groneman

Published by Republic of Texas Press (2017)

 

References:

 

Encyclopedia of the Commemorative Coins of the United States by Anthony J. Swiatek

KWS Publishers (2012)

 

The Encyclopedia of United States Silver & Gold Commemorative Coins 1892 to 1954 by Anthony Swiatek and Walter Breen

 

Arco Publishing, Inc. (1981)

 
 
 
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