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Top Six most beautiful Classic Half Dollar Commemorative Designs ### CONSENSUS RANK POSTED ###

WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
There is no right or wrong answer to this. Just curious what you all think are the best Half Dollar Classic Commemorative Designs of all time.

This is my list ...

(Note that these are not my coins!! I just wanted to post some example coins showing the designs. )

#1. Texas
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#2. Panama Pacific
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#3. Oregon Trail
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#4. Stone Mountain
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#5. San Diego
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#6. Connecticut
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Comments

  • claychaserclaychaser Posts: 4,405 ✭✭✭✭
    I think the Hawaiian should be in the top list:

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    ==Looking for pre WW2 Commems in PCGS Rattler holders, 1851-O Three Cent Silvers in all grades



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  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A nice example of the Hawaiian !!
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Tough to pick just six, but in no random order Isabella, Lafayette, Vancouver, Pan-Pac, Oregon Trail, Connecticut.

    I've always felt the need to own a Isabella and Lafayette as type and design wise the Vancouver is my Kryptonite as I was once 3 coins shy of a box of 20 image
    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • lcoopielcoopie Posts: 8,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
    the ones you chose all have 2 nice sides
    unlike some that have only one

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    both nice IMO

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    one nice, one portrait
    LCoopie = Les
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice examples of the coins you selected.

    I will not rank them, however I do like the Oregon Trail. Texas was placed in a very favorable light- that is one terrific example.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • sparky64sparky64 Posts: 7,025 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, six is tough. Some I really like just one side, Cleveland reverse for example.

    My favs in order are:

    Oregon
    Pilgrim
    Texas
    California
    Maine
    Connecticut

    "If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"

    My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress

  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Being a Civil War buff, these two always had a special place in my heart. However the designs are not particularly inspired. However I do think the Antietam design is superior to the Gettysburg.

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  • morgansforevermorgansforever Posts: 8,428 ✭✭✭✭✭
    IMO the Illinois commem should be in the top 6. Along with the 1936 Gettysburg piece, the 1937 Antietam piece, the 1922 Grant piece, the 1935 CT piece and lastly the 1915 Pan-Pac piece. Impossible for me to rank em. The 1918 Illinois commem is my favorite, because of the man on the obverse and the great artistry on the reverse.

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  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like the ship and globes on the reverse of the Columbian, but the obverse is so boring! And dang this is common as heck! I even found a few in circulation (in half dollar rolls in the 1960s)

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    And I always wanted to like the Hudson more -- it was a cool concept with Neptune riding a whale -- but the execution was "off" making it too cartoonish. However I do like the ship on the reverse.

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    The Delaware has a nice reverse, but the obverse is strange (when i was a kid I used to think there was a giant chicken on the roof of that building!)

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  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Some great suggestions, replies, and thoughts!

    Also great coins posted!!!

    I have to agree with you about the Lincoln, the reverse is one of the best. However the obverse always seems like a downer to me (like Lincoln was sad or dejected -- which he must have been at times in his life).

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  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,840 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Swap the Hudson with the San Diego in the OP's post and you have my submission.
  • OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Regardless of how you vote, none of the modern crap designs put out by the US Mint can hold a candle to these classic commems.

    Cheers,

    Bob
  • bestmrbestmr Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭
    That Texas you have is bad ass. I love that design. I don't know much about commemoratives and all the different designs. I'll definitely look for one once I can find a reasonably priced 7070. Thanks for sharing!
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  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The Oregon and Texas are my two favorites.... sans tarnish of course.... Cheers, RickO
  • MrHalfDimeMrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭
    This is not my series, so I am hardly an expert, but the Texas and Connecticut commemorative designs are absolutely beautiful. Of the six designs that the OP nominated, I can agree with five, but the San Diego design, at least in my opinion, does not belong. When you add the gorgeous toning that many of these coins exhibit, they are all stunning. In short:

    "Regardless of how you vote, none of the modern crap designs put out by the US Mint can hold a candle to these classic commems."
    They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
  • LanLordLanLord Posts: 11,672 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think this might be the only modern that can compete.

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    I agree with many of the previous pics, the classics which have two good sides are quite beautiful. Those that just have a portrait, not so much.

    The one that caught me off guard was the Hudson. I always knew it was bizarrely composed, and I have two, but never realized that Neptune is riding the whale backwards. Who thought that was a good idea?
  • mozinmozin Posts: 8,755 ✭✭✭
    Here is my list, and these are owned by me.


    #1 Oregon Trail
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    #2 Boone
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    #3 Hawaii
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    #4 Pilgrim
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    #5 Panama-Pacific
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    #6 Missouri
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    I collect Capped Bust series by variety in PCGS AU/MS grades.
  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 19,642 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No idea how I'd rank them, but here are my picks today.

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    I'd post my Gettysburg, but I don't have one.
  • jayPemjayPem Posts: 4,018 ✭✭✭✭✭
    conneticut, oregon, bay bridge, pilgrim, california, texas...these are the only ones I want to aquire at the moment. Crusty circulated examples only please !
  • ElKevvoElKevvo Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Regardless of how you vote, none of the modern crap designs put out by the US Mint can hold a candle to these classic commems.

    What he said....the ones you have posted are among the best. Some of the classics are not my favorites but most have a decent design.

    K
    ANA LM
  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd have to rank them like this:

    1. Pilgrim
    2. Columbian
    3. Oregon Trail
    4. Pan-Pac
    5. Isabella (not a half-dollar, but a classic commem)
    6. Texas

    Honorable Mention

    Lincoln
    Antietam
    California
    Connecticut
    Norfolk
    Stone Mountain
    Vermont
  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice suggestions to add the Norfolk and Pilgrim into the mix
    (again these are not my coins, but simply posted to show the design to those not familiar)

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  • mommam17mommam17 Posts: 971 ✭✭✭
    My top 6 would be Oregon Trail, Bay Bridge, San Diego, Connecticut, Pilgrim and Hawaiian.
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    WingedLiberty1957 thanks for the posting the commem-porn coinfacts pics as they might finally be the reason I join! image
    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • SeattleSlammerSeattleSlammer Posts: 9,953 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think that the San Diego obverse design is tough to beat. But so many of he classic commems are gorgeously designed.
  • LanLordLanLord Posts: 11,672 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Kinda sorta American, and kinda sorta commemorative. Actually, probably the best commemorative material ever.

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    And certainly the one of the best designs ever, should have been a commem.

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  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting that there were some votes for these designs ... All nice!

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    No votes for the Roanoke, but I think it's underrated.

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    The Lafayette Dollar and Isabella Quarter are cool, even though I didn't include those denominations in the OP.

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  • jedmjedm Posts: 2,920 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have a couple of these, but no pics to share that would come close to the ones already posted. Nice examples!
    1.Oregon
    2. Illinois
    3. Connecticut
    4. California
    5. Pan Pac
    6. San Francisco
  • SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Oregon Trail, Hawaii, Pan-Pac, Pilgrim, San Diego, and Texas (in that order)
    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

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  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Consensus Voting up through the last post.

    I assigned a first place a numeric 6, second place 5, ..., sixth place 1 -- and then totalled the numbers for a consensus ranking. When people just listed 6 coins without a rank, I gave all listed 1 vote. If people listed fewer than 6, I gave their top rank 6 down to where their list stopped.

    So here is the CONSENSUS VOTE for the most Beautiful Classic Commemorative Half Dollar Design

    #1 Oregon = 4 + 1 + 1 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 3 + 6 + 1 + 5 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 59
    #2 Texas = 6 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 5 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 37
    #3 PanPac = 5 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 4 = 31
    #4 Connecticut = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 1 + 6 + 3 + 4 = 25
    #5 Pilgrim = 5 + 3 + 3 + 6 + 2 + 3 = 22

    #6 Hawaiian = 6 + 4 + 1 + 5 = 16
    #7 SanDiego = 2 + 4 + 6 + 2 = 14
    #8 Illinois = 1 + 6 + 5 = 12
    #9 BayBridge = 4 + 5 + 1 = 10
    #10 California = 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 9

    #11 StoneMtn = 3 + 3 + 2 = 8
    #12 Columbian = 5 = 5
    #13 Boone = 5 = 5
    #14 Gettysburg = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3
    #15 Antietam = 1 + 1 = 2

    #16 Hudson = 2 = 2
    #17 Maine = 2 = 2
    #18 Vancouver = 1 = 1
    #19 Missouri = 1 = 1
    #20 Vermont = 1 = 1

    The Oregon was not only the top vote getter (by a longshot) but the most often mentioned (14 times) .

    The second most mentioned (11 times) was the Connecticut (even though the total votes only took the Connecticut to forth place.

    The Texas and Panama-Pacific were high vote getters and mentioned often and came in solidly second and third, respectively.

    The Pilgrim has fewer mentions, but enough high votes to push it to 5th place.

    I am not surprised about the consensus top 5, but I am surprised the Hawaiian made it to #6 -- clearly there are some big fans of that design.

    The SanDiego, Illinois, BayBridge, and California rounded out the consensus top 10.

    I am also surprised the Stone Mountain didn't get more votes and could only limp into 11th place, as I always thought that design was beautiful, but perhaps the high mintage took away some of the mystique.

    Thanks for voting!

    Consensus Rank #1 through #5
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    Consensus Rank #6 through #10
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    Consensus Rank #11 through #15
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    Consensus Rank #16 through #20
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  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    And how about these for Honorable Mention ?

    Norfolk, Roanoke, Delaware, NewRochelle, Isabella Quarter (not technically included in the voting)

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  • sparky64sparky64 Posts: 7,025 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I enjoyed this.
    Great examples too.

    "If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"

    My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress

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