Classic Commemoratives

MidLifeCrisis · November 16, 2015 10:57PM

Were the classic commemoratives meant for circulation? Did they circulate to any significant extent?

Broadstruck · November 16, 2015 11:00PM

No since they sold for a minimum of double face or slightly more at time of issue they where issued as a collectible. Many did however circulate during the great depression. Some issues stayed in circulation as it's not uncommon to hear older collectors mentioning the collected them from pocket change.

TomB · November 16, 2015 11:07PM

In addition to Broadstruck's comments, at least one issue (the Columbian Exposition half dollar) was later dumped into circulation at face value after the event, if I recall correctly.

Broadstruck · November 16, 2015 11:23PM

Yeah a decade or two ago it wasn't uncommon to frequently run across collectors who had put together a full or nearly full roll of Columbians plucked from circulation. The higher the mintage of the issue the more you encounter with signs of circulation. Such as Stone Mountains... Although I never saw a Grant w/Star that was highly circulated until surfing the internet. The series as a whole was struck for profit with some of the proceeds going toward memorials or celebrations so this was not a Statehood Quarter Program.

MidLifeCrisis · November 16, 2015 11:31PM

Thanks Broadstruck and TomB!

Jackthecat1 · November 17, 2015 5:03AM

Some of the unsold Booker T. Washington and Washington-Carver halves were also released into circulation.

johnny9434 · November 17, 2015 5:04AM

thank God many of them didnt make it into circulation for now we have the better grades. yes i collect them

BillJones · November 17, 2015 5:10AM

The Columbian and the Monroe commemorative half dollars were dumped into circulation in some quantity. Others prior to the 1928 Hawaiian were dumped into circulation in varying degrees. After that they caught on with collectors in the 1930s, and almost all of them were bought for more than 50 cents and preserved in collections.

I suppose that some of the Booker T. Washington and Washington - Carver coins were put into circulation. You see circulated ones now and then.

For the most part these coins were NOT intended for circulation. They issued to the fund raising organization at face value, which sold them for more than face to turn a profit. If they didn't do that, why bother with them?

It is my understanding that the Monroe coins were released by the motion picture industry at the time as a form of advertising.

TopographicOceans · November 17, 2015 6:05AM

Great info

MidLifeCrisis · November 17, 2015 6:29AM

Originally posted by: TopographicOceans

Great info

I agree. Thanks to everyone who replied!

ctf_error_coins · November 17, 2015 6:33AM

If I did not collect error coins I would collect these as I once did but sold to buy error coins. At some point in the future, people will think these are super waaaaay undervalued right now.

kaz · November 17, 2015 8:58AM

My father had a number of the BTW's that he got from the bank, our county was next door to Franklin County, where BTW was born.

pocketpiececommems · November 19, 2015 12:57AM

They may not have been mint to circulate but many did and many were used for pocketpieces. Check the top four lowball commem sets in the registry and you will see what I mean. There are also lowball gold commems out there too. In addition you can also find a great many of them holed.

oih82w8 · November 19, 2015 1:54AM

As previously mentioned some were dumped due to collector disinterest, and some made their way into circulation due to ignorance. Some of the circulated pieces look better than the UNC versions.

ricko · November 20, 2015 12:07AM

When I had a paper route as a kid, I received several Columbian halves... they would show up about every six weeks or so at the time...Cheers, RickO

Classic Commemoratives

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